



HkKSKNTKl) liY 



THE MACKENZIE RAID 

INTO 

MEXICO 



By 

Captain Eoftert (jloltrtfjtoaite Carter 



U. S. ARMY 



THE MACKENZIE RAID 



INTO 

MEXICO ""^^ 



Captain J^obert (§olbtf)toaite Carter 

U. S. ARMY 



/A 
I T ^' 



WASHINGTON. D. C. 
GIBSON BROS., PRINTERS, 1919. 






mm 

MAY n)sti 



THE MACKENZIE RAID INTO MEXICO 

BY 

Capt. R. G. Carter. U. S. Army* 



Fort Clark — Its Location 

FORT Clark, Texas, is situated in Kinney County, 
latitude 29°i7' North, longitude 23° 18' West, at an 
approximate elevation of 1,000 feet above the sea. 
It is 125 miles west of San Antonio de Bexar and 45 miles 
north of Fort Duncan, at Eagle Pass, opposite Piedras 
Negras, Mexico, on the Rio Grande River. 

Its location is on a rocky ridge of limestone, at the foot 
of which is a magnificent live-oak grove. Amidst its cool, 
inviting shadows, bubbling and sparkling from a clear 
and crystal pool, a series of beautiful springs, called the 
Las Moras (the Mulberries), emerge into a smooth and 
narrow, but sluggish, stream. It forms the source of the 
river or creek bearing the same name, which, flowing on 
some eighteen or twenty miles, mingles its waters with the 
"Rio Bravo" or Rio Grande, our International boundary 
line. 

Clark was an old infantry post in 1852, which had been 
built by the First United States Infantry, just after the 
Mexican War. In May, 1873, it ^^'^ ^^ot been rebuilt, and 
the dilapidated and limited quarters, many of them rude 
log huts, proved anything but inviting to the wearied 
troopers of the Fourth United States Cavalry, just arrived 
from Fort Richardson, one of the line of extreme western 
posts, and now bivouacked among the delightful live-oaks 

*This story was first published in the Outing magazine in 1886. It was 
ilhistrated by Zogbaum, Remington, and other artists. It has long been out 
of print. The plates for illustrating have been destroyed. It has now been 
rewritten at the urgent request of many friends and brother officers. As recon- 
structed it contains many additional details and incidents not before included 
in the original story. 

3 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 



referred to, waiting for the Ninth Cavalry to vacate the 
post. 

The heat during the first hours of the day was almost 
overpowering, but in the early afternoon a cool, refreshing 
breeze from the Gulf of Mexico sprung up, tempering the 
air to a soft balminess, and from that time until midnight 
all of the garrison lived out of doors, under the low, 
broad, vine-covered verandas or porches — ^built about all 
the quarters — from which our te-na-jas or water coolers 
(for ice was unknown) swung from their blanket covers 
in the air. The evenings were particularly fine — warm and 
dry — requiring no outside wraps. 

We were, indeed, in a tropical climate. The water from 
the deep springs was cold and delicious, and the water- 
cresses, everywhere in the greatest abundance along the 
banks of the Las Moras, furnished us with a crisp and 
delicate salad for our morning and evening meals. 

Le Boulevard de Brackettville 

Opposite the post, beyond the creek, on a low, flat 
piece of land, almost in the mesquite chaparral, is a small 
town named Brackettville, or Brackett, the county seat 
of Kinney County — the exact counterpart of Jacksboro, 
near Fort Richardson, the ulcer of every garrison, an 
inevitable fungus growth, sometimes improved, but 
scarcely ever eradicated without much care and trouble. 
Its composition varied somewhat, but there were the 
inevitable adobe houses, Mexican ranches or "shacks" — 
huts, "jacals" and picket stores, profusely plastered with 
mud, used for whisky shops, gambling saloons, etc. Mexi- 
can ' ' greasers ' ' — half-breeds of every hue and complexion 
— full-blooded descendants of the African persuasion, low- 
down whites and discharged soldiers, with no visible 
occupation, composed the population, and at night a 
fusillade of shots warned us that it was unsafe venturing 
over after dark on the one crooked, unlighted and wretched 
street — Le Boulevard de Brackettville. 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 



The Cavalry "Bailie" and Inspection 

On the nth of April, the Secretary of War, General 
Belknap, and General Sheridan arrived, which created no 
little stir in camp, for we did not then know the object of 
their visit. The command was carefully inspected, and 
at night a brilliant "bailie" or hop was given by the 
Ninth Cavalry, partly complimentary to our distinguished 
guests, and especially in honor of the arrival of the Fourth 
Cavalry. 

On the occasion of this inspection, by direction of 
General Ranald S. Mackenzie, then commanding the 
regiment, I acted as regimental adjutant. It was a 
mounted field inspection, and the Secretary and General 
Sheridan reviewed the command. They both expressed 
great satisfaction, and Mackenzie seemed much pleased, 
for the regiment was then, after several strenuous Indian 
campaigns for some years past, at the full maximum of its 
field efficiency in horses, arms, equipment and rigid dis- 
cipline. Its personnel in enlisted men, especially in its 
non-commissioned officers, some of whom had been officers 
in fighting volunteer regiments during the Civil War, 
could not have been excelled in any army in the world. 

Later (about 1888), General H. W. Lawton, who had 
been regimental quartermaster (later killed in the Philip- 
pine Islands), told the writer at the War Department, 
when he was a major and assistant inspector general, that 
the inspection reports for years had placed the Fourth 
Cavalry at the head (No. i) of all the cavalry regiments 
in the United States Army in general merit. 

The regiment left Fort Richardson, March 4, 1873, the 
headquarters having been transferred to Fort Conoho, 
Texas, a few weeks before. We arrived at Fort Clark, 
April I, after a long, hard and very tedious march during 
which I acted as quartermaster. Prior to these dates 
and for some months before receiving our orders to relieve 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 



the Ninth Cavalry on the Rio Grande, the Indians and 
Mexicans had been raiding across the river in both large 
and small marauding bands, plundering and killing the 
settlers and ranchmen, and running off their horses, mules 
and cattle. A joint commission was then in session at 
Eagle Pass, near Fort Duncan, trying to adjust claims 
amounting to millions of dollars made by the ranchmen. 
There had seemed to be more or less indifference or inde- 
cision by General Merritt, then commanding the Ninth 
Cavalry, in dealing with these murderous cut-throats, 
bandits and thieves. 

The Mysterious Conference 

A few days after our arrival, there was an important 
conference at General Merritt' s quarters between the 
Secretary of War, General Sheridan and Mackenzie. I 
was not present, but later Mackenzie told me the sub- 
stance of it, when I was so suddenly called into his con- 
fidence. It was almost word for word, from my subse- 
quent notes, as follows : General Sheridan started it — 

"Mackenzie, you have been ordered down here to 
relieve General Merritt and the Ninth Cavalry because I 
want something done to stop these conditions of banditry, 
killing, etc., etc., by these people across the river. I want 
you to control and hold down the situation, and to do it 
in your own way. I want you to be bold, enterprising, and 
at all times Jnll of energy ; when you begin, let it be a cam- 
paign of annihilation, obliteration and complete destruction 
— as you have always in your dealings done to all the 
Indians you have dealt with, etc. I think you understand 
what I want done, and the way you should employ your 
force," etc. 

Mackenzie, for the moment, was completely obsessed 
by Sheridan's manner, and of his complete confidence, not 
only in his initiative, but will to carry out any plan he 
(M.) might make. 

"General Sheridan, under whose orders and upon what 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 



authority am I to act? Have you any plans to suggest, 
or will you issue me the necessary orders for my action?" 
Sheridan, much to Mackenzie's amazement, replied in 
his most impressive, vigorous, vehement manner. He 
pounded the table as he spoke and gestured: "Damn the 
orders! Damn the authority! You are to go ahead on your 
own plan of action, and your authority shall be General 
Grant and myself. With us behind you in whatever you 
do to clean up this situation, you can rest assured of the 
fullest support. You must assume the risk. We will 
assume the final responsibility, should any result." 

The Nocturnal Visit 

The regimental headquarters with "I" Troop were 
daily expected from Fort Concho, and pending their arrival 
and the adjutant, Leopold O. Parker, I was summoned 
rather unexpectedly one night, by General Mackenzie, 
who came to the door of my quarters. I was officer of the 
day, and, with my sash on and saber unhooked and lying 
across a chair, was waiting for midnight so that I could 
inspect my guard and patrol the town of Brackettville to 
quell any disturbance that might occur among the mon- 
grel crowd that, in those days, generally infested a border 
town. It was nearly 12 o'clock. 

Mackenzie was very intense in speech and action. He 
said: "Is Mrs. Carter abed and asleep?" The question 
rather startled me, but upon answering in the affirma- 
tive, he continued: "What are you going to do now?" I 
answered : " I am about to inspect my guard, and then patrol 
B." "Very well. As soon as you have performed that 
duty, and without letting anybody know where 3^ou are 
going, I wish to see you at my quarters as soon as possible." 

Upon arriving at his house, about the only frame build- 
ing then in the garrison, I found him very nervous and 
uneasy. I felt that he had something very important on 
his mind, or in his system, which he was feeling compelled 
to get rid of. I was inwardly guessing whether I was to 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 



be made a victim of some charge he was about to spring 
upon me, and ransacking my brain as to what I could 
possibly have done, and whether I had better plead guilty 
in advance. There was evidently a great mystery incubat- 
ing. He frequently arose before stating his business, 
looking about the rooms, and, going outside, walked 
around the quarters and closely watched to see that there 
were no listeners. 

He then, in strictest confidence, informed me that 
through some renegade Mexicans and half-breeds he was 
possessed of certain knowledge with reference to the 
Indians who, just previous to our arrival at Fort Clark, 
had raided up the Nueces Valley, and committed the 
massacre at Howard's Wells. He had ascertained their 
exact locality, number, etc. ; their trail, with stolen stock, 
led back across the Rio Grande, and he should immediately 
commence preparations for an expedition against them. 
He proposed to punish them for the past and check their 
raids in the future. At this interview he gave me in detail 
all that had passed between the Secretary of War, General 
Sheridan and himself, at their conference in April. He 
had selected three guides to do the scout work, etc. One 
was Ike Cox, the post guide, a reliable and trustworthy 
man; the others were half-breeds — Green Van and 
McLain, both first class men, who knew the country even 
better than Cox. Both owned ranches along the river on 
the American side. They, vv^ith Ike Cox, had lost some of 
their stock. They were sent over the river some time in 
advance of our move, to the villages of these Indians, 
some 60 to 70 miles in Mexico, to ascertain their numbers, 
and to locate all the accessible roads, routes and trails 
leading to them, especially for rapid night traveling, with 
nothing but the stars for points of direction. These fine 
scouts and guides were absolutely faithful, truthful and 
trustworthy and did their work most thoroughly. Relying 
upon General Sheridan's declaration of absolute support, 
Mackenzie said he should not hesitate to take the risk. 
It was "make or break." 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 



Confidential Adviser 

At his dictation (no telegraph stations, automobiles, 
stenographers or typewriters were available at that 
period), I wrote a detailed letter to the department com- 
mander, the nature of which it might not be proper or 
wise for me, even at this late day, to divulge; and having 
enjoined the strictest secrecy upon me until the expedi- 
tion had proved a success or failure, I left his quarters at 
daybreak a very much burdened soldier — for my wife was 
included in the sacred pledge he had exacted. I was a 
marked man for four weeks. I was, in the meantime, 
shown a reply from department headquarters, authorizing 
the necessary supplies, on requisitions which I had made 
out on that night, for an expedition, the destination of 
which was known only to Mackenzie and myself. 

Preparations went steadily on until about May 15. 
Horses were carefully shod, pack animals and saddles 
overhauled, ammunition obtained in large quantities, 
sabers ground, etc. The companies were sent singly, or 
two or more together, into grazing camps near the post; 
some at Piedras Pintos, Turkey Creek, etc. This was for 
the ostensible purpose of recuperating the horses which 
had been somewhat reduced in flesh by long marches. 
Kere the men were drilled and subjected to the most 
rigid discipline; target ranges were laid out and carbine 
practice given every day; company, platoon, and every 
movement in column and in line, mounted and dis- 
mounted, was thoroughly worked out, especially rapid 
fighting on foot to the right and left. This dispersion of 
the command would also admit of its movement without 
disclosing the object to prying eyes about the post, who, 
interested in the stolen stock, closely watched the garrison. 
Besides, there were many Mexican spies who professed to 
be living in Brackettville and engaged in business. As the 
town was but a few hundred yards away, it was easy for 
them to cross the creek and lurk about the post, especially 
at night. 



10 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

McLain, the scout, had been in the Indian villages, 
had reported his knowledge gained to the General, and 
all was now nearly ripe for the start. Upon more than 
one occasion I felt that Mackenzie had doubted my good 
faith, or at least that, for some reason or other, his suspi- 
cions had been aroused. 

A Burdensome Secret 

At "stables" one evening, he beckoned me to him, with 
an impatient snap of his finger stubs (he had lost parts of 
tv/o during the Civil War). "You have told L — the 
secret I reposed in you." 

"I beg your pardon, sir, but I have not." 

"You have, then, told your wife." 

"You are mistaken, sir; I have not told a soul, unless 
in my dreams. Why do you doubt my absolute loyalty 
and sincerity?" 

"Well, but L — says he knows that you know, and says 
he can find it all out through you or your wife, just where 
this secret expedition is going." 

"Yes; but. General Mackenzie, that is an entirely differ- 
ent matter. He has not found out a thing through me, nor 
will he. Of this you can absolutely rest assured." 

And yet L — was his trusted assistant, making prepara- 
tions in detail to go — where, he knew not. 

The "L" here referred to, was H. W. Lawton, then a 
first lieutenant, and regimental quartermaster. During 
the Spanish- American War he became a major general of 
volunteers, and was killed at San Mateo, P. I., December 
19, 1899. He was a great favorite of Mackenzie's, not 
only on account of his splendid war record, having been 
mustered out of the service in 1865 as a lieutenant colonel, 
commanding his regiment (30th Indiana Vols.) at the end 
of the Civil War, but particularly because of his intense 
energy and purpose, and exceptional ability as a quarter- 
master, both in construction work in a post, and in the 
field, where his knowledge, practical common sense and 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 11 

resourceful makeshifts made him especially valuable to a 
man of Mackenzie's peculiar temperament and demands. 

Lawton was then unmarried. He would, however, and 
generally at the wrong time — and this was generall}^ 
known throughout the old Army — indulge in a weakness, 
and when in this condition grew very loquacious and con- 
fidential. At all other times he was always singularly 
reserved and reticent, sometimes painfully distant. At such 
times, when he grew talkative, Mackenzie always deemed 
it wise not to confide any of his campaign or military 
secrets to L — , especially now when he was taking so much 
risk, even jeopardizing his future career, and when so 
much depended on absolute secrecy for his probable 
success. 

While General Augur, commanding the Department of 
Texas, knew, and possibly through General Sheridan, the 
probable object of this expedition, neither Lawton nor, as 
I have stated, any of the troop commanders had the 
slightest clue. 

I was especially directed to see, in as quiet a way as 
possible, that all sabers in the command were ground to 
a razor edge. This stunt was a very great "puzzler" to 
all the old captains, especially to Wilcox, O'Connell and 
McLaughlin, who in some of their "kicks" and grouches" 
against such a "fool proposition" came near "spilling all 
the fat into the fire, " and some doubted my authority for 
such an almost "unheard of" thing, for we had never, 
thus far, carried such encumbrances on an ordinary Indian 
campaign. But I finally carried my point, by quietly 
quoting that well-worn old Army phrase, "It is by direc- 
tion of the commanding officer." All this time I was 
acting as adjutant. Most of the officers quizzed me, Law- 
ton among the rest, and generally he was the most stren- 
uous, saying: "I ought to know." 

My company was Troop " A, " commanded by Captain 
E. B. Beaumont, brevet Colonel, U. S. A., who had grad- 
uated from West Point in May, 1861, served as a staff 



12 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

officer on General John Sedgwick's staff, commanding 
the old Sixth Corps, and was with him when he was 
killed at Spottsylvania C. H., May 9, 1864; also on General 
James H. Wilson's staff when he commanded the cavalry 
troops of the Western Army, which rode through the 
heart of the Confederacy in 1865, and captured Jefferson 
Davis. Beaumont was given personal charge of him 
(D.) after his capture. He was one of the finest types of 
an "all-round" efficient cavalry soldier I have ever known. 

The "Alarm" and "Pack Up" 

Our camp was upon the Piedras Pintos (Painted Stones) 
Creek. I had just returned from a moonlight tour among 
the luxuriant chaparral, everywhere about our delightful 
camp, after an unsuccessful search for mescal and aguar- 
diente (brandy) peddlers, who, knowing that the men had 
been recently paid, had ventured forth from the slum 
depths of Brackettville to demoralize them. I was officer 
of the day. I had inspected my guard, and was lying by 
the side of Colonel Beaumont, half drowzing, when the 
loud clattering of hoofs was suddenly heard, causing both 
of us to sit up in our blankets, and Major Clarence Mauck 
rode hurriedly into camp from Fort Clark and gave orders 
from Mackenzie to "pack up" and "saddle up" immedi- 
ately. He got up from a sick bed to carry this order. It 
v/as between 2 and 3 a. m. Colonel Beaumont turning to 
me, said: "What is the meaning of this — where are we 
going?" I quietly replied: "Ouien Sabe! Perhaps across 
the Rio Grande." He asked me no further questions. 
There had been no time given to say farewell to our 
families. We had not seen them for a week or more. All 
was soon busy preparation. Crackling camp fires were at 
once started so that we could see to pack by, and, at early 
dawn, led by Ike Cox, the post guide (McLain and Green 
Van being with Mackenzie), we filed out of our comfort- 
able camp, and marching rapidly across country, arrived 



The JMackenzie Raid into Mexico 13 

about 8.30 o'clock at our rendezvous and, dismounting, 
awaited the arrival of General Mackenzie, with two troops 
from Clark, and troop "M" from Fort Duncan, which, 
having lost its way, did not arrive until nearly i p. m. 
This was May 17, 1873. An hour later the entire column 
of six companies. A, B, C, E, I, and M, and a detachment 
(20) of Seminole Negro, or half-breed enhsted scouts, 
under the command of First Lieutenant John L. Bullis, 
Twenty-fourth Infantry, nearly 400 men were moving 
slowly for the ford of the "Rio Bravo." There was no 
immediate need of haste, for our object was to delay 
crossing the river until after dark. 

In this extrem^e southern latitude, the sun, now high in 
the heavens, beat down with terrific force upon our heads. 
There were no sunstrokes or heat prostrations, however, 
for we had before found it necessar)^ to protect our heads 
with wet sponges fitted into the hat of every officer and 
man in the command, and all were now provided with 
them. The heat was scalding, almost stifling. Several 
short halts were made, and at the last one, shortly before 
dark, at the ford near the mouth of the Las Moras where 
we were to cross the river, Mackenzie briefly explained 
the objects of the expedition, the probable results, the 
possible risks every officer and man wouM incur in our 
invasion of Mexican soil. If wounded, capture might 
mean hanging, the death of a felon, or, with back against 
a wall, his body riddled by Mexican or Indian bullets. 

This talk had not, however, yet released me from my 
"burdensome secret," for the fact that he was acting with- 
out orders or authority from our Government, or that he 
was taking the precious lives in that column over the Rio 
Grande, with merely the implied permission which General 
Sheridan had given or suggested to him at their conference 
in April at Fort Clark, he had not disclosed in the talk at 
this last halt, and, as will later be shown, such disclosure 
only came about purely by accident. I was still pledged 
to secrecy, and it weighed heavily upon me. 



14 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

All officers in the command believed implicitly that he 
had those orders from the War Department, and nobody 
thought then of asking any questions or suggesting other- 
wise. Only Mackenzie and myself in that trusting com- 
mand knew to the contrary, and the possible outcome of 
failure or disaster from any indeterminate or unforeseen 
cause. He (Mackenzie) had revolved all these chances 
in his own mind, and doubtless had carefully canvassed 
pro and con all probabilities and possibilities. 

He had told me on the night I had spent with him 
writing letters, making out requisitions, and assisting him 
in his plans by suggestions, etc., that he expected he might 
be placed in arrest and tried by court martial for what 
might possibly prove to be a wrong interpretation of 
Sheridan's hints and strenuous urging, and his dismissal 
demanded, but he should, nevertheless, rely implicitly 
on Sheridan's assurance that in whatever action he took 
both he (S.) and General Grant would back him up to the 
utmost limit, and he did not fear that should the country 
be aroused through international complications or a 
hostile press, either Grant or Sheridan would permit him 
to become the "scapegoat." They were not that kind of 
men, and he knew both to be his warm friends. General 
Grant refers to him in his personal memoirs as ' ' The most 
promising young officer in the Army." 

The Start— Ford the Rio Grande 

Notwithstanding the spectral ghost of a gibbet or a 
blank firing wall before our eyes, and the already tired 
condition of those who had then marched over twenty 
miles, all were in excellent spirits and full of hope and con- 
fidence. The river was reached shortly after eight p. m., 
sufficiently dark to cross without being seen. We waited 
for some time in the middle of the stream, the water being 
about up to our saddle girths, for the head of the column 
to gain the opposite bank, which, steep and treacherous, 
retarded its advance. Our reflections were only disturbed 
by the murmuring of the water and the impatient splashing 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 15 

of our animals. All talking was ordered to cease. A low 
"forward!" We stemmed the swift current and a few 
moments later scrambled over the low but steep bank, into 
the dense canebrake that borders the stream above and 
below the ford.* We debouched from the chaparral upon 
open ground. It was now too dark to distinguish anything 
but the dim forms of the moving horses and men. We 
were indeed upon the soil of Mexico, and without further 
delay the start was made for a night's ride upon the dis- 
tant Indian villages. 

"Terreno Desconocido" 

West of Fort Clark and the Rio Grande in the Mexican 
republic Hes the Bolson de Mapini, a dreary, almost 
waterless waste of mountains and trackless deserts. 
Secure in this wild region the Apaches for three centuries 
defied the efforts of the Spanish troops, necessitating the 
presence of large garrisons on the route from New Mexico 
via Chihauha to Monterey, to protect the settlements and 
supply escorts for trains and travelers. So little was 
known of this desolate region by the whites that it appears 
on the maps as Terreno Desconocido (Unknown Land) 
and a remnant of the once powerful Apaches dwelt among 
its mountains, but had changed the scene of their depreda- 
tions to the soil of Texas. They had a good market in 
Mexico for their stolen horses, mules and cattle. This, 
however, is in strict accordance with the laws of com- 
pensation, for it is not much over a quarter of a century 
since powerful bands of Comanches and kindred mur- 
derous thieves, whose villages lined the banks of the Llano, 
San Saba and Concho rivers, plundered the frontiers of 
Mexico and found a market in Texas. Fredericksburg, a 

*Five miles southeast of the mouth of the Las Moras is the town of Quemado, 
Texas, and opposite to it is Moral, Mexico, southeast of Jimenez. Somewhere 
between Quemado and the mouth of the Las Moras the column crossed going 
in. Neither the Mexican Int. R. R. nor the G. H. & S. A. R. R. had been built 
in 1873, and there were no defined roads. We either followed mule trails or 
those the guides made from their knowledge of the country. 



16 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

German frontier settlement about 75 miles northwest of 
San Antonio, was a regular horse mart and there are living 
to-day (1888) old citizens of this little settlement who have 
witnessed the return of bands of plunderers exulting in 
their fine show of horses, and scalps of wcfmen and children, 
and whose savage, drunken orgies ha\^e chilled the life 
blood of the peacefully disposed citizens of those Texas 
border towns. Detailed maps of this Unknown Land 
were non-existent. Joined with the Apaches were bands 
of Lipans and Kickapoos, all actuated by deadly hostility 
to the Texans. Issuing from their mountain retreats, 
they traveled by night across the plains and mountains, 
hid by day among the numerous ravines and cedar brakes, 
and then suddenly swooping down upon some unprotected 
ranch, cruelly murdered the wretched inhabitants, drove 
off the stock, and sometimes carried off the helpless women 
and children into captivity. Small parties drove off the 
horses and mules from dift'erent parts of the country, and, 
assembling far out on the "Staked Plains" where few 
white men had ever dared to venture, and where lack of 
water made it dangerous to penetrate without a guide, 
they rested and leisurely retreated into Mexico. Of the 
period of which I write, their broad stock trails crossing 
the more narrow buffalo trails were everywhere visible. 

The Kickapoos were, if possible, the most relentless 
toward the Texans, by whom they were wantonly 
attacked while peacefully emigrating during the Civil 
War from their reservation in the United States. The 
Texans, it is reported, were routed with great loss, but 
from that day Texas was considered fair ground for 
Kickapoo raids, and all murders there as justifiable 
retaliation. Rumor has it that the Texans refused to 
recognize a flag of truce of the Kickapoos, and killed a 
squaw by whom it was carried. To the credit of the 
Texans it is also said that the command to a large extent 
were opposed to interfering with the peaceful march of the 
Kickapoos, who were committing then no depredations, 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 17 

but the hot-headed young men insisted upon fighting and 
fired upon the flag. It is to be hoped that the latter bore 
the brunt of the fight and the well-merited punishment 
which the Texans, it was reported, duly received. 

These affiHated bands of Indians then — Kickapoo, 
Lipans, Pottawottamies and Mescalero Apaches — were the 
ones we were to attack and punish as soon as we should 
arrive within striking distance of their far-distant villages. 

The Night Ride In Mexico 

At about lo o'clock the head of the column emerged 
from the dense canebrake and chaparral, and interminable 
river bottom, and winding through a rocky ravine 
ascended to open rolling ground, when the order to trot 
was given, and away sped the somber troopers, startUng 
the dwellers in the lonely ranches when the dull thunder 
of tramping hoofs rose and fell as the rapid human torrent 
poured across plains or plunged into ravines. Lights dis- 
appeared from dwelHngs as if by magic, and perhaps many 
a devoted mother clasped her babe to her breast in mortal 
terror at this unusual and ominous roar at the dread hour 
of midnight. 

The night was soft and warm. The moon rose, but, 
partially hidden by a hght haze, shed an uncertain hght 
upon the moving column. The gait increased. We rode 
rapidly, going where, we knew not, led by the half-breed 
guides on their fox-gaited beasts. They knew the impor- 
tance of reaching the villages by daybreak, as planned, in 
order to surprise the enemy; also had measured the dis- 
tance, and spared not their horses. 

Our gait, therefore, was constantly changed, increasing 
from a fast walk to a "trot out," then a slow gallop or 
lope, again to a pushing trot and a rapid fox-gait, in speed 
between a walk and trot. Sometimes the dust so obscured 
the column it was with the greatest difficulty the rear com- 
panies could be "closed up;" every break or arroya would 



18 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

string the animals out "by file," which required later a 
gallop to close up on the advance. 

The Dilemma 

The file closers or duty sergeants were kept busy. It 
was now becoming painfully evident, however, that our 
pack mules, no longer in sight, could not keep up such a 
speed, and would so impede our progress before morning 
as to make our arrival on time uncertain, for it was ascer- 
tained that the train had sagged so far behind that it was 
then several miles to the rear. The mules had been heavily 
packed, and such a rapid gait had proved too much for 
them. We were then using the old "Saw-buck" pack 
saddle, the Aparejo not yet having come into use. The 
more experienced packers of a later date could, by read- 
justing the loads, and lightening them, or even cutting 
them down to half rations, have avoided much of this 
condition which was now becoming serious, for a column 
such as ours, scheduled to attack at daybreak, can only 
move as fast as its slowest unit, and this slowly impeding 
unit was the slowest mule in that pack train. 

It has been said that only the Lord or a "mule whacker" 
could inspire fear and speed in a pack mule. Lieut. 
George A. Thurston of my old Troop ("E") had charge 
this night of the pack train and whatever rear guard was 
with it, and Thurston was neither the Lord nor a mule 
driver, but faithful, loyal and slow. It was, besides, more 
than probable that this serious situation had not yet 
occurred to him, and he was doing his "level best." It 
suddenly dawned upon somebody, too, that there was an 
ever-growing danger that the Indians or Mexicans, or 
both, upon discovering our trail from the river, might cut 
it at almost any moment, and get not only our food 
packs but all the mules if in sufficiently strong force to 
attack the rear guard. 

Captains Wilcox and Mauck came to me at this moment, 
between 12 and i o'clock, and urged me in the strongest 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 19 

possible manner — and this request was at once vigorously 
backed up by Beaumont — to ride to the head of the column 
and suggest that the "packs be cut loose," presenting this 
problem in all its dangerous possibilities to Mackenzie. 
"You know him better than the rest of us," was the 
appeal. "You have been his acting adjutant and con- 
fidential adviser in the preparations for this expedition. 
You know how to reach him," etc., etc. All this was 
reechoed by all. No time was to be lost. Mackenzie 
thus far seemed to be in blissful ignorance of such a situa- 
tion or of its possible results. 

I felt that it was a bold suggestion, to sacrifice all of our 
precious and much needed rations at the outset of an 
Indian raid, or invasion of foreign soil. But I also felt 
and knew that such action was absolutely necessary and 
at once. I hesitated, and they saw it. I knew, even 
before we had started how nervous, irritable and irascible 
Mackenzie had been. However, there was no time to 
lose; I must risk it. I went up the length of the rapidly 
pushing column at a "hand gallop," mounted on a three- 
fourths thoroughbred silver-roan horse that nothing could 
tire. He was in the "pink" of condition. I passed C, B, 
and I Troops, and reached General Mackenzie. The 
guides on each side of him were tense, every muscle set. 
As I surmised when I asked him, up to this hour he was 
absolutely ignorant of any difficulty in the rear, or that all 
was not going well. I modestly opened up the subject. 
Well, for about a minute one would have known that 
something besides the pack train had "turned loose." 
But my persuasive language, after he had somewhat 
exhausted his vocabulary, soon became convincing, and I 
was rewarded with — 

"Cut the Packs Loose!" 

"Yes! tell the troop commanders I'll halt, and give 
just^z;^ minutes to 'cut the packs loose.' Tell the men to 
fill their pockets with hard bread." 



20 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

Time was very precious. At Mackenzie's suggestion, 
I went to the rear, the entire length of the column, shout- 
ing this order, and then on back until the pack train was 
reached. I urged Thurston forward. The mules were 
fast becoming exhausted with their heavy loads and mov- 
ing at such a pace. I helped him to close up, and super- 
vised the cutting off of the packs and filling the men's 
pockets with hard bread. The knives flashed, and the 
mules, freed of their burdens, trotted along Uke kittens 
the remainder of the night. But, although we had no 
further trouble with them, now running loose with the 
column, they had already, by this delay, prevented our 
reaching the villages at daybreak and attacking at that 
hour; also the probable capture of many Lipans who, it 
became known later, had gone out hunting at a very 
early hour, before our arrival. 

We again moved forward, not always on an air line, but 
along the path of least resistance, heading many ravines 
and arroyas, our general direction being southwest. 
Sometimes when crossing a ravine, and when the rear was 
delayed, the only general guide we had was the almost 
blinding dust ahead, through which the moon's rays 
faintly glimmered. Sleep almost overpowered us, and 
yet, on, on we went. Conversation had long ago begun 
to lag. Nothing was heard save the ceaseless pounding 
of the horses and the jingle of the saddle equipment. It 
seemed as though the long night of fatigue, discomfort 
and thirst would never cease. 

The gray of early dawn slowly crept upon us. Then the 
first faint gleam of daylight streaked the horizon. When 
day breaks upon the prairie nature appears the personifi- 
cation of death — cold, dreary and hopeless. The faces of 
the troopers are pallid and corpse-like; but when the 
glorious sun pours its golden flood of light upon the plain, 
the earth smiles and life and hope return. 

A dazed, exhausted feeling had begun to steal over our 
weary bodies, and we seemed sustained only by the excit- 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 21 

ing novelty of the occasion, and hope of success. For the 
first time we ascertained that the guides, even with their 
accurate knowledge of the country, and their unerring 
skill and judgment, had, notwithstanding our tremendous 
gait during the night, miscalculated the distance, and we 
were still some miles from the villages. They had not 
made sufficient allowance for our delay through the 
exhaustion of the pack mules. It was now suggested to 
the General to increase the gait to a swinging gallop, but 
even now the pace was beginning to tell upon our animals, 
and his judgment was opposed to it. He dared not wind 
them before making the final charge which he had planned 
at the decisive moment. The pace was slightly increased, 
however, and mile after mile sped rapidly by. At the head 
of the column, as the dayUght gradually increased, the 
half-breeds, Green Van, McLain, and our sturdy old post 
guide, Ike Cox, could now be seen constantly plying their 
braided quirts, and with their heels vigorously helping 
their beasts along, never swerving a hair from the general 
direction taken the evening before. Those tireless guides 
had seemed, from the start, full of dash and daring, and 
were fully inspired with the spirit of the enterprise, now 
so dependent upon their loyalty, skill, indomitable energy 
and powers of endurance. Mackenzie and his adjutant, 
who had joined in time to accompany him, rode with the 
guides, all followed by a small escort of selected orderlies. 
Then the Seminole negro enlisted scouts, with ebony faces, 
flat noses, and full lips, but with the characteristic high 
cheek-bones of the Indian, their long, black, crinkly hair 
plentifully powdered with alkali dust. In the rear, the 
men, in column of fours, their bronzed faces also covered 
with dust ; their slouched hats, of every conceivable shape, 
plentifully sprinkled with the same. Their features, 
haggard with loss of sleep, and the strain of the all-night 
ride, gave them a kind of hard, desperate appearance that 
would remind one of pictures in our boyhood days of 
brigands in their raids for plunder and ransom money. 



22 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

An occasional laugh, the nervous, shifting movements in 
the saddle of these leg-weary troopers to relieve the 
aching limbs, the short "dudheen" pipe to console the 
tired frame and empty stomach, all went to make up a 
picture such as was not the good fortune of any "Our 
Artist on the Spot" to witness, much less to faithfully 
interpret. 

On, on, we rapidly sped ! 

The exhilarating breezes, of the Santa Rosa Mountains 
now clearly visible, cool, dry, and life-giving, gave us new 
strength and action. We now commenced winding down 
into a lovely valley, daylight streaming all over the land, 
and soon had the satisfaction of hearing tinkling bells and 
seeing several pony herds which scampered off at our 
approach. 

The Rey Molina 

Immediately after we struck the rocky bed of a stream, 
thickly skirted with chaparral and small trees. Large, 
round stones washed clean and smooth, and thrown to 
the surface by many a flood, somewhat impeded our 
progress at every step. The stream, a mere thread, soon 
became a series of water holes or pools, from which man 
and beast now drank in pleasurable companionship, 
washing the dust from their long parched throats. This 
was the Rey Molina (Remolino).* We were now close 
to our objective — our mission of death. "Dismount!" 
This with no bugle calls. We slipped from our horses and, 
shifting the saddles, word was passed along to recinch or 
tighten the girths. We were making ready for the charge. 
We were in the bed of the stream, concealed by its banks. 
It was broad daylight. The sun tipped the mountains 

*The Rio San Rodrigo, just west of Remolino, on which Cabaceras is 
located, may have been the stream we called the Remolino, which we crossed 
just before making the attack. The mountain range west of Remolino, which 
we called Santa Rosa, is designated as "Serrenias Del Burro," although we 
could distinctly see the more distant and higher peaks of the former. 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 23 

with its golden touch. The blue azure of a cloudless 
Mexican sky, a calm and peaceful day, was full upon us. 
It was an inspiring sight as the column, again in motion, 
wound its way under cover of the fringe of bushes, toward 
the object of its terrible task. We were rapidly approach- 
ing the Indian village. All talking ceased, and the clatter 
of the horses' hoofs upon the stones, the jingling of spurs, 
and the rattle of equipments grew almost painful. 

Prepare to Attack ^ 

The column was rapidly but silently closed up — every 
man in his place. As we debouched from the dry bed of 
the stream, and were beginning to wind around the base 
of a hill, we saw hurried preparations made ahead, which 
indicated our very near approach to the scene of con- 
flict. Men began earnestly to look at their weapons and 
quietly prepare for the fight. Runners from the front 
traversed the length of the column with hurried orders 
which were repeated in low commands to the men. They 
were now fully alert and as steady as clocks. The pack 
trains were "turned out," "fours" were counted, file 
closers and aU noncommissioned officers were cautioned 
in their duties. We commenced to descend a long slope, 
upon which, scattered here and there, were thick patches 
of prickly pear, many cacti of every variety, and the ever- 
present mesquite. At the foot of the slope we could now 
clearly see the huts stringing out a long distance, and the 
general outline of an Indian abiding place. As the fringe 
of chaparral grew thinner, the lodges burst suddenly 
upon our view. We listened almost breathlessly for the 
cracking of the carbines in the advance. The head of the 
column, now lost to view, again reappeared, this time at 
a gallop. An order was now passed hurriedly to the rear 
to "form platoons," to "prepare to charge," to hold the 
horses "well in hand," and "not to scatter out." 



24 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 



The Charge 

A shot, followed by another and a third, then a front- 
line volley, and the gray horses of "I" Troop (McLaugh- 
lin's) in the lead could be seen stretching down the slope 
upon the villages, now in full view. "Left front into 
line!" "Gallop!" "March!" rang out from front to rear. 
"Charge!!!" And then there burst forth such a cheering 
and yelling from our gallant little column as that Kick- 
apoo village never heard before. It was caught up from 
troop to troop, and struck such dismay to the Indians' 
hearts that they were seen flying in every direction. The 
distance was nearly a mile over fairly open but rough 
ground. Our reserve ammunition was neither carried on 
the pack mules, with a possible loss by stampede, nor in 
the saddle-pockets on the horses, as was done by Custer 
in the battle of the Little Big Horn, and captured by the 
Indians when the dismounted men became separated from 
their mounts, but on the persons of the troopers, safely 
stowed in the pockets of their blouses. Although it was an 
uncomfortable burden, Mackenzie, as a successful Indian 
fighter, never took any doubtful chances in action with 
such a sUppery enemy who always took advantage of any 
culpable errors. 

Our formation for the charge was in column of platoons. 
The order was for the leading platoon to deliver its fire 
ahead by volley, then, after turning down the length of 
the villages, to wheel to the right, each succeeding platoon 
to do the same from the front to rear of the column, and 
then reloading and falling in rear, still continue following 
down the length of the three villages until again uncovered ; 
wheeling this time to the left to fire, and so on in succes- 
sion. The leading platoons of "I" Troop were to pursue 
the fleeing Indians out on open ground, through and 
beyond the lodges. 

I had witnessed the battle of Upperville, Virginia, during 
the Civil War (a running fight from Aldie, Virginia, to 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 25 

Ashby's Gap) between the cavalry corps of the two armies 
(about 25,000 men) under Generals Alfred Pleasanton 
and J. K. B. Stuart, on June 22, 1863, the First Division 
(Griffin's, of the Fifth Corps) in which I had served, hav- 
ing been detached from the Army of the Potomac for the 
purpose of supporting the cavalry of that Army in this 
battle. I saw many charges over fifteen miles of country 
dm^ing that day, but I never saw such a magnificent 
charge as that made by the Fourth United States Cavalry 
on the morning of May 18, 1873, at Rey Molina, Mexico. 
As has been stated, we had been drilling our men every 
morning at Fort Clark and in our camps in platoon forma- 
tion and in column of fours at all gaits, and in dismount- 
ing and fighting on foot; and, barring casualties, liable to 
occur in any action, and the breaking up of tactical units 
incident thereto, their drill and execution thereof was as 
well night perfect as human effort could devise. 



The Fight 

The sudden charge proved a complete surprise. The 
leading company was soon among the grass lodges. Car- 
bines were banging, rifles were cracking. The men were 
incessantly cheering and scattering in pursuit. The war- 
riors were yeUing and flying in every direction, many half 
naked, from their huts. It was a grand and impressive 
sight. Sharp and imperative commands alone held the 
men in ranks, or kept them from dashing individually 
into the villages. Over mesquite bushes, rocks, prickly- 
pear, and the long, dagger-Uke points of the Spanish 
bayonet, dashed the mad, impetuous column of troopers. 
Here could be seen a horse gone nearly crazy and unman- 
ageable with fright, and running off with its rider, who was 
almost or wholly powerless to control him. Small, 
mesquite trees had to be avoided, and what with con- 
trolling the men, dodging obstacles over rough ground, 



26 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

and handling our horses, a more reckless, dare-devil ride 
we never had. 

Soon the rear companies struck the villages, and, dis- 
mounting and "fighting on foot," were closely engaged. 
It was short work. "I" Troop was pursuing the flying 
warriors across the low, swampy ground, everywhere cut 
up and intersected by irrigating ditches, and covered 
with fields of grain, com, pumpkins, etc. On the left were 
the pony herds and stolen stock, the former seemingly as 
intent upon getting away as their masters. 

Mackenzie, remembering Sheridan's injunction to make 
this a campaign of "annihilation" and "destruction," 
gave the necessary orders for that work to be done. 
"Fire the villages!" The dismounted men, already told 
off for this purpose, making torches of the long pampa 
plumes and other rank grasses, ran in and quickly fired 
the tepees or grass lodges, which, being of these coarse 
rushes or grasses, with walls about four feet high and roofs 
heavily thatched and as dry as tinder, flashed up, roared 
and burned like powder. The fierce crackling of the 
flames mingled strangely with loud reports of carbines, 
sharp crack of rifles, cheers and yells. The destruction 
was complete. 

War's Sad Spectacle 

Taking a part of "A" Troop, by Mackenzie's order I 
struck across to the left for the herds, now stampeding in 
the distance, and, after much hard riding through the 
chaparral, which everywhere skirted the villages, expect- 
ing momentarily to be ambushed by small parties of 
Indians who had fled in that direction, I succeeded in 
rounding up most of the animals, and started back. As 
I approached the small stream bordering the smouldering 
lodges, riding at a rapid walk, one of the men shouted, 
"Look out. Lieutenant, there are Indians under the 
bank!" Turning quickly, I saw, under a large, over- 
hanging bunch of flags, what appeared to be the form of 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 27 

a large Indian in the act of pointing a weapon. It was 
about 30 yards and nearly concealed. I was the only 
officer who had brought a carbine. Raising it and firing 
immediately, the Indian fell. The men then opened fire 
which was replied to from the bushes. Dismounting 
shortly after and ordering "Cease firing," I approached 
the rushes, and, parting them, witnessed one of those 
most singular and pitiable spectacles incident to Indian 
warfare. A small, but faithful, cur-dog was at the 
entrance of what appeared to be a small cave far under the 
bank of the stream, savagely menacing our advance. 
Near him, almost underneath, lay stretched the dead 
body of a gigantic Indian, and behind him seemed to be 
more bodies. It was necessary to kill the dog before we 
could proceed further. The men reaching in, then drew 
forth two small children, respectively two and four years 
of age, badly shot through their bodies. One was dead, 
the other nearly so. Opening the bush still further for 
more revelations, way in the rear we saw the form of a 
young squaw, apparently unhurt, but badly frightened. 
Her black, glittering eyes were fastened upon the group of 
blue-coated soldiers with a fascinating stare, not unlike 
that of a snake, expressing half fear, half hatred and 
defiance. We made signs for her to come out, but, as she 
refused, she was quietly, and without harm, dragged 
forth. We thought this was all, but almost covered up 
under the immense flags, we found still a third child, a 
girl of about twelve, badly wounded. It was one of those 
cruel, unforeseen and unavoidable accidents of grim- 
visaged war. They all had weapons and had fired upon 
my party. Gathering up our prisoners, we found that we 
had about forty, with nearly two hundred ponies and 
horses, most of the latter being branded stolen stock. 

Only nineteen warriors were reported by General 
Mackenzie as killed. He would never report as killed 
only those that had been officially counted. But many 
more were counted by several officers at various distances 



28 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

from the villages and in out of the way places where 
they had fled for safety, especially in water holes and 
under the banks of the stream concealed from view. 
Mackenzie did not go over the ground himself. The exact 
number will never be known. There must also have been 
many wounded, but, as was usual in an Indian action, 
none were found. They had probably been carried to 
places of safety, or, perchance, were burned up in the 
lodges when the latter were destroyed. 

Among the prisoners was old Costilietos, Chief of the 
Lipans, who had been caught by a lariat thrown over his 
head by one of our Seminole scouts as he was darting 
through the bushes. Another prisoner brought in, but, 
through some neglect, not disarmed by his captor, nearly 
ended the life of one of our captains. 

A Close Call 

This was Captain Clarence Mauck, who died some years 
later as a major of the Ninth United States Cavalry. 
After returning with the prisoners and ponies which I had 
captured, I dismounted, and stood within the circle of 
quite a group of officers and men, within a few feet of 
Mauck. Wilcox was near me, also O'Connell with two 
or three of his men on the other side of Mauck — none of 
us more than ten or fifteen feet apart. My Spencer 
carbine, with a cartridge in the chamber, and at a half 
cock ready for instant action, was resting on my right toe. 
I was facing the Lipan Indian whom the Seminole had just 
brought in, and watching his face and every movement. 
The moment I saw the look of rage at what he had wit- 
nessed come over his face, I feared trouble. As soon as he 
had recovered from his apparent stupor and fairly reaHzed, 
by the blazing villages, prisoners, women and children 
standing under guard, etc., what had happened and how 
he had been duped, with a defiant whoop, he brought his 
rifle down like a flash upon Mauck. 



The; Mackenzie; Raid into Mexico 29 



A Captive's Tragic Death 

As I saw him raise his rifle, I as quickly brought my 
carbine to my hip with a rapid motion, and cocking it and 
pointing it at the Indian without aim, fired at the moment 
he had begun to press his trigger. He gave a loud, pierc- 
ing yell, threw up his gun, which went off, and toppled off 
his pony, dead before he touched the ground. Corporal 
Linden of Troop "M," so O'Connell told me, at the same 
distance on the other side, had observed the motion of the 
Indian at the same time, had fired, and the report of his 
carbine followed mine, his shot striking and whirUng him 
around. For a brief moment Mauck's deadly peril seemed 
to paralyze all who had witnessed the scene. 

Success would have been too dearly purchased by the 
sacrifice of so gallant and efficient an officer. But our 
Army records will show scores of noble soldiers who, 
after years of usefulness to their country, have ignobly 
died in much the same way in action with these savages, 
notably General Canby. Mauck had quickly dodged 
behind his horse's shoulder, but it would not have saved 
him from the Indian's rifle. 

Thrilling Incidents 

There were many thrilling incidents and adventures 
during the fight. Captain McLaughlin, that sturdy and 
intrepid old soldier, whose troop led in the pursuit, shot 
at and wounded an Indian, who fell and permitted 
McLaughlin to ride up to him. What was the Captain's 
astonishment to see the Indian rise up, deUberately level 
his rifle and make a close shot at his head. But a miss is 
as good as a mile. The next moment he fell by McLaugh- 
Hn's six-shooter. Another had his pony shot from under 
him. Quickly jumping from his body and running at full 
speed, he overtook and leaped up behind a mounted 
Indian and rode off under fire. Some of the men's horses 



30 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

bogging in soft ground just at this moment, they both 
escaped. 

Sergeant O'Brien of "A" Troop, a gray and grisly old 
soldier who knew no fear, was pursuing an Indian, both 
afoot. He had fired and missed, when the savage, thinking 
he had no time to reload, turned suddenly, and, whirling 
a heavy, brass-bound tomahawk, threw it with such pre- 
cision as just to graze the Sergeant's head. Walking 
deliberately up to him with his carbine, throwing a 
cartridge quickly, as he advanced, into the chamber, 
O'Brien said, "I have you now, you old Spalpane" and 
shot him dead at fifteen paces. 

Some time prior to this action Mackenzie had bought a 
dark bay, thoroughbred colt about three years old. He 
was a magnificent animal, but he had a bad, glaring-blue, 
crazy eye. One day when Mackenzie was riding him near 
Fort Richardson, Texas, the colt bolted with him into 
some post oak timber, knocked him out of the saddle, cut 
his head badly, ran into the post, and Mackenzie never 
rode him again. When we made the charge upon the 
Indian villages, Mackenzie's "striker," Matthews, a 
discharged soldier of the Ninth Cavalry, was riding him, 
and with a snaffle bit. The mad rush proved too much 
for the blooded colt; he ran as though he was in a race, 
absolutely uncontrollable. 

Away off on the flank of the madly charging column 
Matthews could be seen cHnging to him like a monkey. 
The colt bounded over the mesquite Hke a frightened 
deer. He went over and through everything; jumped the 
widest irrigating ditches, and, going nearly a mile from 
the flaming lodges, gave one last leap into the air, broke 
his heart, and dropped dead in his tracks, Matthews 
flying over his head like a rocket into the soft earth, badly 
bruised, but no bones broken. It was a thrilUng sight in 
full view of the entire command. 

Without unsaddling, but staking the horses out with 
watering bridles, and a strong herd guard, and, remaining 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 31 

just long enough to treat the wounded (one mortally), to 
amputate an arm and set a leg, to construct horse litters 
or travois, and assign the prisoners to ponies for the ride 
back, we prepared for the return march. 

Fire and Desolation 

Ruin and desolation now marked the spot — a cyclone 
could not have made more havoc or a cleaner sweep up — 
and danger lurked in the homeward path, for a few hours' 
march distant was a town and well-settled district of 
Mexicans and Indians which, as soon as this invasion 
became known, would send their rancheros to avenge the 
insult to their territory. Mackenzie thoroughly under- 
stood the situation, but, confident in the excellence of 
his troops, carefully and deliberately made all these 
arrangements for the transportation of the wounded and 
prisoners. 

We started. Beyond the Kickapoo village, about one- 
fourth of a mile, was that of the Lipans. Still farther 
beyond, to the west, in the distance, stretched the Santa 
Rosa Mountains, whose peaks were now bathed in the 
mellow sunhght, seeming only a few miles distant, toward 
which many of the Kickapoos and the Lipans fled when 
they first became aware of our hostile approach. Mac- 
kenzie, when first informed of the relative strength of the 
Indian villages, was told that he would be compelled to 
make his main attack upon the largest — the Kickapoo 
village. While it was still uncertain when the command 
would reach its objective, and some time before the charge 
was made, the guides, who were perfectly famihar with the 
location of the villages and the lay of the land, strongly 
urged him to divide his force, sending a part around the 
Lipan village in the direction of the mountains, thus 
cutting off their escape in that direction, whi e the remain- 
ing companies made a vigorous flank attack upon the 
Kickapoos. But the General, who was strenuously 



32 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

opposed to dividing a command when about to make an 
attack, especially now that he was engaged in an invasion 
of foreign soil, and having left his food suppHes on 
trail, and in the strong belief that the Kickapoos were 
more numerous, would not listen to the guides' advice. 
It must be borne in mind that Mackenzie's wise decision 
and sound judgment was made more than three years 
before Custer made the fatal error at the Little Big Horn 
in adopting such a risky plan of approaching and attack- 
ing a numerous enemy — above all, a wily, tricky, shifty, 
evasive, mobile bunch of Indians who would not, or did 
not play the game fair, to the extent of working into any 
cut and dried programme, prepared in advance by 
a white strategist whose war games they always ignored 
and despised and continually held up to contempt and 
ridicule. This division of the command might have worked 
out. At all events, the guides thought so, and argued later, 
when it became known that nearly all of the Lipans had 
escaped, before they could be reached over the swampy 
approaches to their stronghold. Again, it might have 
proved a disastrous Custer massacre, for like that gal- 
lant cavalry leader, we had no base to fall back on in case 
of an unforeseen crisis. The sun was now high in the 
heavens ; the heat had become more intense. 



The Hated "Gringos" 

We mounted and commenced our retrograde march. 
Our course lay through the Uttle Mexican settlement of 
Rey Molina. It is in the State of Coahuila. Everywhere 
we met the black, mahgnant scowls of El Mexicano. It 
was a novel and most astonishing spectacle for them to 
behold a body of United States Cavalry, with Indian 
prisoners, swiftly traversing their territory for safety 
beyond "El Rio Bravo." We felt that their hatred fore- 
boded evil before reaching American soil. Their occa- 
sional exclamations in muttered almost incoherent Span- 



The; Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 33 

ish, such as "El Gringos!" indicated anything but a 
friendly spirit to "Los Americanos." 

It was a scalding day; not a breath of air stirred. The 
heat hung over the earth in tremulous waves, parching 
and roasting our little command, until in our already 
wearied condition we could seem to bear it no longer. 
Had it not been for the numerous lagoons met with fre- 
quently during the day, our sufferings would have become 
intense, almost intolerable. Our trail had been discovered 
going in, and the results of our raid had been communi- 
cated by rapid runners or couriers up and down the river. 
Even then the "long roll" was beating from Piedras 
Negras to the upper fords for volunteers to gather and 
intercept our march. It was ascertained that a few miles 
away was a town or another Mescalero Apache village 
(Zaragoza)* a well-settled district. These Indians, long 
resident in Mexico, were sworn allies of the Kickapoos 
and Lipans, and were capable of sending many warriors 
against us. 

The Return March 

As darkness settled about us our anxiety increased, 
which, added to the exhausted condition of the men and 
animals, left us in no very cheerful frame of mind, or pre- 
pared for our long night ride and a possible fight in ambus- 
cade. We did not feel safe, and we fully realized that the 
worst was before us — this interminable night of gloom 
and uncertainty. The moon, yellow and tropical, but 
dazzling bright, rose and illuminated our trail, now glitter- 

*On a "General Map of the State of Coahuila de Zaragoza, made under the 
direction of the Government of the same State by T. S. Abbott, Engineer, 
1905," "Traced by 3d Battalion of Engineers," "Road data given by First 
Lieutenant C. A. Seoane, January 13, 1914," is shown several towns near 
Remolino, the nearest one being Cabaceras, about two miles northwest, on the 
Rio San Rodrigo, Esmeralda, about 10 milos east; Jimenez, N. E. ; Zaragoza, 
about 10 miles S. S. E., and Las Vacas, N. N. E. The latter is west of Fort 
Clark, northwest of Jimenez, and nearly opposite Del Rio, Texas. There are 
shown on this map at least ten arroyas, which we either headed or crossed the 
first night, but on the return trip we avoided them by taking the longer route 
up the river. 



34 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

ing with myriads of dew drops that everywhere flashed 
hke diamonds under our horses' feet. 

Night of Agot.iy and Horror 

We wearily rode on. The heavy, overpowering clutch 
of sleep was upon every officer and man. This was the 
third night that many of us had been absolutely without 
sleep or rest. The Indian prisoners v/ere heavily guarded 
in rear, and our Seminole scouts steathlily hovered on our 
flanks, to guard against ambush and surprise, while the 
guides, our advance guard, and selected scouts rapidly 
felt their way ahead. It was a long, long night. Every- 
where the men drowsed and swayed in their saddles. 
Officers, obliged to forego even this luxury, were on the 
alert to keep them awake, and, at every halt, to urge them 
to renewed efforts. Men became alternately depressed, 
excitable, irritable, morose and quarrelsome, and, lying 
down during a halt, with arm through bridle rein, could 
Vvith difficulty be roused, and the officers had to be con- 
stantly on the watch to prevent their being left behind, 
to keep them from coming to blows, and to bring them 
back to a condition approaching the normal. 

However, notwithstanding their state of almost utter 
exhaustion, and when it seemed that a surprise attack 
might be necessary to restore the mental balance and 
morale of those whom we had hitherto regarded as our 
very best Indian scrappers, yet, while their spirits were at 
this low ebb, there was latent a certain "Esprit," and 
both their morale and discipline were found to be perfect 
whenever they could be aroused to a full realization of 
their sense of duty and warned of the imminent danger of 
a possible ambush or surprise. This was most remarkable, 
for our nerves were nearly raw and almost worn thread- 
bare. 

We felt that the entire command had expended about 
every ounce of energy and strength. Many men in the 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 35 

command, under all of these existing conditions, were 
subjects for a close study of the psychological changes 
which those forty-eight hours of physical suffering and 
loss of sleep had wrought upon the mental faculties and 
traits of all. 

These conditions made the strain on the officers almost 
intolerable on account of their much greater responsibil- 
ities for the success of this last stage of our expedition. 

Threats and persuasion seemed alike to have lost their 
effect. It was seldom, however, that we used anything 
more than the mildest force, such as pushing them upon 
their feet at our short halts, and shaking them. 

Sleep was the one rehef sought for, and uppermost in 
their minds. They seemed to care for little else, nor con- 
sidered for a moment their peril if left behind, and their 
sure fate if dealt with by a sullen, revengeful body of 
merciless savages. 

Woe betide any sleeper who might be caught off his 
guard, for the rear was being dogged by raging, cruel 
foes who had their homes and kindred to avenge. We 
had read of the execution of Chinese criminals by sentinels 
keeping them awake with bayonets until death reUeved 
their sufferings. All night long the officers rode the 
column, seizing the men by their shoulders and shaking 
them into an upright position in their saddles. The eyes 
seemed strained out of our heads. The tension was so 
great that our heads seemed full to bursting. The physi- 
cal pain endured can not be conceived or described. Only 
through one's imagination or the experience of those 
dreadful hours could there be a full reaUzation of our 
agony. The imagination pictured all kinds of objects to 
our overstrained minds. Now in the bright moonlight 
a huge boulder loomed up before our bewildered eyes. 
Again, we were passing through hamlets and large towns, 
all commenting upon the extravagant illumination which 
the people had resorted to. We were at all times dodging 
and stooping to avoid imaginary objects which, to our 



36 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

dazed senses, seemed real, and for many years afterwards 
were declared to be tangible. One man, wandering from 
the column a short distance, while it was at a halt, to 
enjoy an undisturbed rest, and eluding our vigilance, 
awoke only to find the column gone, and a Mexican stand- 
ing over him. He jumped up, fired at the enemy, ran 
through the chaparral, and, following our trail until 
morning, finally crossed the river and joined the command. 
Such was our mental condition — one of hallucinations — 
our minds bordering upon the insane. 

Prisoners Lashed on Ponies 

Toward morning the Indian papooses or children, in 
some cases mounted with the squaws in threes or fours 
upon the ponies, began to be troublesome by falhng fast 
asleep and tumbling off on the trail, which occasioned 
frequent short halts in order to have the rear closed up for 
safety. They were finally lashed on with lariats. Several 
times the Seminoles in the rear and on the flanks came in 
and reported the enemy in sight. At these times word 
was passed along, and renewed efforts were made to keep 
the men waked up and up to their fighting pitch. 

But we were not attacked. 

The Irish Captain's Peril and a "Life Preserver" 

About 2 o'clock, when everything seemed darkest, most 
dreary, almost hopeless, and it seemed more than probable 
that we might not get through without serious disaster, 
and had reached the lowest possible ebb, a mere chance, 
or factor of safety, on account of the approaching exhaus- 
tion of officers, men and animals — the most critical and 
alarming period of that almost endless night — word was 
passed along to me that our old Irish captain, O'Connell, 
was in distress, threatened with a stroke of apoplexy, 
perhaps paralysis. I went to him. He seemed to be in a 
most desperate condition, almost in a state of collapse. 



The; Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 37 

but still sitting upright in his saddle. We were at a halt. 
He begged to be left behind, declaring that his case was 
hopeless. There was no time to ride to the head of the 
column and try to find our only doctor, Acting Assistant 
Surgeon Donald Jackson, a very valuable and efficient 
contract surgeon. Nor was there time to construct a 
travois. We had no ambulances or stretchers. Taking 
in the situation, I determined at once to take what I 
firmly believed to be the only chance, and, in the writer's 
judgment, a very doubtful one, and at very grave risk. 
I had, when we left our Piedras Pintos camp, packed 
a small, flat cedar keg filled with whisky on a troop pack 
mule. It held about six pints. It was painted a sky blue, 
and was bespangled with small silver paper stars, having 
been used at a tin- wedding celebration in honor of Lieuten- 
ant and Mrs. C. A. Vernou, the year before at Fort Rich- 
ardson, Texas, by my wife, who had impersonated a French 
Vivandiere (Daughter of the Regiment) when all had gone 
in costume and were masked. When the packs were 
cut off about I a. m. the previous night, I had personally 
attended to the saving of this valuable piece of property, and 
distributed its contents among several officers, among 
them Beaumont, Mauck, and Wilcox, that alert, prac- 
tical, efficient, and sturdy troop commander. I filled my 
own canteen. So far I had not "sampled " it. 

I gave our fine old soldier a big slug of this whisky, and 
then stayed with him to see that he did not fall out of the 
saddle from weakness. After repeating the dose several 
times later, he got across the river, and I shall always 
believe that it was the result of my prescription. It proved 
to be a "Ufe preserver." At all events, it convinced the 
old man, for he always declared: "Ca-a-ther, you saved 
my life!" He entered the service about 1851 in the Old 
Dragoons ; was a corporal on duty at West Point with the 
cavalry detachment; was commissioned later in the 
Fourth Cavalry, and did magnificent service during the 
Civil War, especially in the great cavalry charge at Love- 



38 The Mackenzie; Raid into Mexico 

joy's Station, where he was wounded and his horse killed. 
He died a few years after the Mackenzie raid, of paralysis, 
at Oakland, California, always declaring, in letters received 
by the writer, that those nights of horror were directly 
responsible for his condition, and that it was the greatest 
ride ever made by him during his entire service. 



Major O'Connell's letter (extract) and statement of his 
recollections of the Mackenzie raid follows : 

So Broderick and 14th Streets, 
San Francisco, Cal., May jo, i8g4. 
My Dear Carter: 

I received your letter yesterday, and I will never forget our 
trip to Remolino, Mexico. It was the hardest ride I ever had 
in my life. Of the 18 officers, there is only one left in the regi- 
ment now. I was seized, about two and a half 3'ears ago, with 
a paralysis of my right side, but I think in time I will get well 
of my trouble. * * * j blame my trouble to our great ride 
into Mexico and back. I enclose to you what I remember 
of Remolino. 

Yours very truly, 

(Signed) Wm. O'Connell. 

STATEMENT 

In answer to your inquiry of my recollection of the incidents 
connected with the action of Remolino, May 18, 1873: 

After we crossed the Rio Grande and traveled to about 
midnight, we came to the conclusion that we could not make 
the Indian villages by daylight if we had to lead the pack mules. 

Captains Beaumont and Wilcox and myself selected you to 
go to the head of the column and see General Mackenzie, and 
have him abandon the pack mules, which he did after the men 
getting some hard bread and coffee, and turn them back on the 
road we came, and we resumed the march at a trot and gallop 
all night, and got to the villages after daylight (which were 
attacked vigorously) and we captured 118 prisoners, killed a 
good many, and burned the two villages of the Kickapoos and 
Lipans. 

I heard a great deal of your conduct during the action — that 
you killed two or three Indians. After the fight we congre- 
gated and an Indian rode up and pointed his gun at Captain 



The; Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 39 

Mauck, and would have shot him only for yourself and Cor- 
poral Linden. You fired at the Indian, and afterwards Linden, 
and as he dropped from the saddle his gun went off. 

By your timely action you saved the life of Captain Mauck. 

You always bore a high character for great courage and high- 
mindedness. * * * 

(Signed) Wm. O'Connell, 
Captain, U. S. Army, Retired. 
(Original filed with "Efficiency Record" in the War Depart- 
ment.) 

Green Van's Ford — Death — Strange Scenes 

Hour after hour dragged its seemingly slow and never- 
ending length along until fifteen had passed. The gray 
of dawn found us still dodging about the winding paths 
and trails and roads among the mesquites leading to the 
river. Soon would be disclosed the welcome waters of the 
Rio Grande, which must be passed ere rest could be hoped 
for. At daylight the heavier timber that skirts the river 
was seen. Descending from the ridge which bounded the 
valley or bottom of the stream, the weary column wound 
by shaded roads bordered by almost interminable, dense 
thickets until a Mexican ranch with a clearing to the river 
was passed, when, without the formality of "by your 
leave," the farm gate was opened, and, following a narrow 
path, we were soon upon the banks of the stream, and the 
horses buried their noses in the waters of the wide, rapid 
river. We had made many tedious halts in the dense 
chaparral and canebrakes. The long, interminable night 
of horror, of nightmare, had passed. 

I looked about me. Scenes which neither pen nor 
tongue could describe were everywhere about. Scenes 
which no ' ' artist on the spot ' ' could ever accurately por- 
tray. Some of the men were fast asleep low down on their 
saddles with their arms tightly clasped about their horses' 
necks ; others were drowsing and swaying or nodding, bolt 
upright. Some, by persistent efforts to smoke and talk, 



40 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

barely held their drooping eyelids from closing. The 
condition of the prisoners, although ludicrous, was pitiful 
in the extreme. They had been riding, lashed on the cap- 
tured ponies, doubled up and by threes. The children, 
half naked and streaked with dust and sweat, deprived, 
by being bound, even of the privilege of lying down upon 
their ponies' necks, were fast asleep, their heads and 
swarthy skins presenting a striking contrast to the blue- 
coated troopers who surrounded them. Here was a child 
of but five or six years. By custom, his head had been 
shaved smooth, except a tuft or stiff scalp-lock, a crest 
running from his forehead over back to his neck. His face 
was painted in parti-colored stripes. His infantile warrior 
spirit had given away. Young though he was, he fully 
realized that he was a captured prisoner of war, in the 
hands of a hated white man, and separated, as he beUeved, 
forever from his Indian home. The tears had coursed 
down his face, over the paint and sweat, and the dust 
adhering gave him a very ludicrous, yet strangely touching 
expression. His rigid form, bolt upright, but added to 
this strange, impressive spectacle. All faces wore that 
dull-gray, ashy, deathlike appearance, indicative of over- 
worked nature and the approach of exhaustion and physi- 
cal collapse. The appearance of the gallant troopers and 
our faithful Seminole scouts, their hair, faces and clothes 
white with alkali dust, all exhausted, but rigid and alert 
for the order which would send us into the ford, only 
accentuated the picture, one never to be forgotten in a 
lifetime. 

At last, at last, we had accomplished our almost super- 
human task, reaching the goal of our terrible mission and 
returning to the Rio Grande. The agony of those dreadful 
nights was over, and we almost felt like shouting our long 
pent-up joy and heaving a great sigh of relief at this final 
ending of our hardships and sacrifices, the almost endless 
and long-drawn-out pain, and at the nearly perfect results 
of our objects and purposes. 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 41 

Men and horses seemed to draw new strength from the 
refreshing waters. It took some time to get the wounded 
on the horse Utters across. One man died at the river. 
A low "forward" and all pushed with animation and 
renewed spirits across the deep ford. At last the rear 
of the column stood upon American soil, and we gave vent 
to our feelings with a soldier's amen ! * 

The eastern bank was soon cHmbed, and the welcome 
order to go into camp given. The saddles were stripped 
from the jaded horses for the first time in forty-nine hours, 
and while our breakfast was preparing, the men thronged 
to the river to bathe. Our feelings can better be imagined 
than described. We had crossed at his ford, and were 
bivouacked upon the land of Captain Green Van, de- 
scribed elsewhere in these pages, a ranchero of considerable 
notoriety along this line of the Rio Grande, who, with 
undaunted courage, had volunteered to guide us on this 
hazardous expedition, and who now, of course, would 
travel with his hfe in his hand, as the Mexicans wouM 
surely turn upon him for revenge. 

Soon after our crossing, our great quartermaster, the 
indefatigable, tireless, resourceful Lawton, came in by 
previous arrangement with a supply train loaded with 
plenty of rations for the men and forage for the animals, 
besides luxuries galore for the officers, and shortly after, 
man and beast were busy trying to recuperate from our 
long fast on cracker dust and water since the evening of 
the 17th. There was feasting all day. Green Van, too, 
to show his generous hospitality, brought down to our 
bivouac from his ranch, in several buckets, some new 
mescal, a very potent Mexican drink, a sort of rum with a 
weedy taste, fiery and throat burning, distilled from 
pulque, a dirty looking, yellowish-brown beer brewed 
from the maguey plant, which grows luxuriantly every- 
where in that country. As soon as Mackenzie learned that 

*It is the writer's belief that "Green Van's Ford" was near the crossing 
of the Rio Grande at or near Las Vacas, or between that town and what is 
now Del Rio, Tex. 



42 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

some of the Troop Commanders were going to issue it 
he ordered that it should all be spilled on the ground, for, 
on our empty stomachs, and in our nervous and strained 
condition, he did not think it a proper kind of stimulant 
to be served to an exhausted command. 

Threats — ^A Defensive Line 

Our stay here in this bivouac was one of continuous 
excitement and soon shots were heard across the river, 
and threats were shouted across that the Mexicans and 
Indians were gathering to attack us that night. In a few 
hours we observed large bodies apparently getting ready 
to carry out this threat. They were very profane and 
boastful, and we certainly seemed in some danger of a 
dash across the ford. Our position was on a small plateau 
or table-land, a short distance back from the river, almost 
completely surrounded by dense canebreaks. Mackenzie 
sent the horses back some distance for safety, "tied them 
in," placed a sufficient guard over them, thus releasing 
for the fighting Hne, the horse holders (number 4). He 
then placed all the best sharpshooters (in those days they 
were our skilled buffalo and bear hunters, no ammunition 
having then been issued for target practice) on the line 
of the river and as close as possible to it, covering the 
ford, which was a narrow, diagonal one, and could only be 
crossed by file. It had deep water just above and below 
it. They were entirely concealed by the tall, dense 
chaparral which extended back for some distance from the 
bank of the river. He then deployed the balance of the 
command some yards in rear; all concealed. They were 
armed with the 7-shooting Spencer carbine, cal. .50; Smith 
and Wesson's revolver, cal. .45, which had just been 
issued, and sabers, which, as before stated, had been 
ground to a sharp edge when we left Fort Clark. 

The Mexicans and Indians, yelling and shouting, 
abusive and swearing vengeance, were then invited to 
come across. They never came! We heard nothing more 



Tne Mackenzie; Raid into Mepico 43 

of this boastful, gasconading rabble. Not an Indian or 
Mexican cared to wet his feet in the waters of Green Van's 
ford. 

After making all of these dispositions and safeguarding 
our front for the night, we calmly awaited further develop- 
ments. In a semi-circle, our line unbroken, and with 
pickets thrown out, and selected "sleeping parties" in the 
brakes for quicker action, as was our custom when in 
contact with Indians, we "turned in" for sleep. The 
field proved to be an immense ant-heap. The little pests 
attacked, bit, persecuted and tortured us until early 
morning, when we moved to a more secure spot. Early 
on May 20 we took up the march for the post. 

After leaving Green Van's ford, we made a march of 
only a few miles, and bivouacked back from the river in 
open ground, but surrounded by dense chaparral. 

Illegal Order— Mackenzie's Threat— The Retort 

That night there gathered about Mackenzie's camp 
fire several of the officers of the command. Of all that 
number only one survives besides myself, after a period 
(1919) of 46 years. There were present Captains N. B. 
McLaughHn (a Brigadier General of Volunteers during 
the Civil War) ; John A. Wilcox, who became a Lieutenant- 
Colonel, U. S. A. ; Clarence Mauck, who became a Major 
of the Ninth Cavalry; Eugene B. Beaumont, who became 
a Lieutenant Colonel, U. S. A.; besides Mackenzie, his 
Adjutant, Leopold O. Parker, and myself. I instinctively 
felt that something was coming. Colonel Beaumont, in 
the course of a general conversation, mostly dealing with 
the incidents and adventures of this raid, suddenly asked 
Mackenzie if he had had any orders or authority for taking 
his command over into Mexico, especially after telUng 
us of the risks we ran. Mackenzie replied that he had not. 
Beaumont then said: "Then it was illegal to expose the 
lives of your officers and men, not only in action, but in 
event of their being wounded and compelled upon our 



44 The; Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

withdrav/al, through force of circumstances, to be left 
over there, and probably to be hung or shot by a merciless 
horde of savages, Indians and Mexicans." 

Mackenzie replied: "I considered all that." Beaumont 
continued: "Your officers and men would have been 
justified in refusing to obey your orders, which you now 
admit as being illegal, and exposing themselves to such 
peril." To which McLaughlin, joining in, added: "Beau- 
mont is right! and had I known that you had no orders 
to take us over the river, I would not have gone ! " 

Mackenzie flashed up, and in a very decisive voice, 
replied: "Any officer or man who had refused to follow 
me across the river I would have shot!" His father had 
hung Midshipman Spencer, son of the Secretary of War, 
at the yard arm of the United States Brig Somers many 
years before, for mutiny on the high seas, for which he 
(Mackenzie) was tried. His son had, perhaps, his father's 
act in mind when weighing the probabilities of such a con- 
tingency — the refusal of any officer to obey his orders to 
cross the Rio Grande. 

McLaughlin who, a few years before, during the recon- 
struction days in the South, after the Civil War, had killed 
Baker, a noted desperado, near Marshall, Texas, and was 
then, with the exception of Captain Wirt Davis, prob- 
ably the best pistol and carbine shot in the Army, snapped 
out sharply: ''That would depend, Sir, upon who shot 
first!'' Mackenzie did not reply to this. There was 
absolute silence for some minutes. Some of us thought 
that most always the time or acid test of obedience to an 
illegal order under all the circumstances of such a raid, 
and the dangers which confronted us, is — Success! I 
knew that Mackenzie knew, that if he didn't succeed, his 
reputation and career were gone forever. I also knew, for 
he had told me, that he had counted all the costs. But here 
was one cost in which he had already been challenged. 
What the result might have been in McLaughlin's refusal 
to obey Mackenzie's orders to cross the river, one is left 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 45 

to conjecture. While, at times, he (Mackenzie) was 
irascible, irritable and difficult to deal with, mostly on 
account of his many wounds (and who could be a saint 
with four of them ?) , Mackenzie was one of the few officers 
of that period who was always ready and willing to assume 
the gravest responsibilities, and he would never hesitate 
to take the initiative without awaiting definite orders. 

This he always expected of all his officers when assigning 
them to any duty, and he generally gave them explicit 
verbal instructions as to the duties he expected them to 
perform, relying upon their common sense, good judgment 
and wise discretion in following such instruction. This was 
at a personal conference. He never pinned them down to 
it, however, as a binding order intended to cover all of 
their acts. He trusted his officers. These instructions were 
always given with the proviso that they should always act 
within legal bounds, and never exceed them in any manner 
that should be harsh, arbitrary or beyond the meaning of 
the term "an officer and a gentleman." But he wanted 
something done — results. Then he would issue a blanket 
order covering those acts. I never knew him to permit 
one of his officers, when in the performance of duty under 
these verbal instructions or orders, to be made a ' ' scape- 
goat." He would back them up to the last hmit. The 
writer had several proofs of such loyalty. Mackenzie 
never "went back" on any officer, especially of the old 
Fourth Cavalry, to save "my official reputation" or for 
the mistaken notion of the "necessity of self-protection" 
and a desire to "soothe his wounded pride." Justice 
with him was inseparable from his professional duties and 
honor. 

The silence soon became painful, and great was the 
relief when first one and then another withdrew from the 
flickering Hght of the mesquite bivouac fire and, rolHng 
himself in his blanket, sought reUef from such a terri- 
ble condition — the first in four long flights — in the slumber 
of exhausted men, who soon forgot the turmoil and strife 
of war only to resume it again on the fateful morrow. 



46 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

Anxious Families 

We arrived at Fort Clark about noon on the 21st, there 
to meet the anxious garrison, who had purposely been 
kept in ignorance of even our destination, and, after a 
terrible suspense, now rejoiced at our return. Up to that 
moment, no member of our families had the sUghtest 
inkling of our whereabouts, or when, if ever, we would 
come back. The garrison had been full of rumors of 
disaster; the command "had been surrounded, and cut to 
pieces," or was "retreating before overwhelming num- 
bers" and "was in extreme peril," etc. 

There was little sleep for the anxious wives at Clark. 
The slightest noise would bring pale, frightened women to 
the doors of their quarters to learn the cause, and the 
careless soldiers were anxious for their absent comrades. 

A Tropical Storm — The Alarm 

On the 24th, General Mackenzie, hearing well-founded 
rumors that a large body of Indians and Mexicans were 
making threatening demonstrations on the opposite bank 
of the river, took two troops of the regiment and scouted 
in the direction of Villa Nuevo and other points, and 
returned on the 26th without seeing or hearing anything 
of the enemy. Our scouts, however, reported during the 
day that we might expect an attack almost any time. 

The night of the 26th closed in very dark, and with 
every indication of one of those terrible tropical storms, 
accompanied by wind and lightning. All was gloom and 
inky blackness. The eye could distinguish nothing a foot 
away. The anxiety all over the garrison was very intense. 
Everybody during this suspense, felt "jumpy." Pickets 
had been thrown about the entire post for the night and 
all the camp guards doubled. Ladies and children 
gathered in groups on the porches of the quarters and 
breathlessly discussed the chances of coming battle and 
all the attendant horrors of Indian massacre and retalia- 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 47 

tion. The hoarse boom-boom of the thunder now sounded 
— one peal and crash after another; the incessant flash of 
the Ughtning following, glared about the little plateau, 
bringing out the buildings with startling clearness one 
moment, only to be succeeded by black, impenetrable 
gloom the next. It rattled and roared in angry succes- 
sion. It was such a night as would set an atheist to think- 
ing whether there was really a God in Heaven who now 
controlled the elements, and if he was prepared to meet 
this Unknown Power. 

The entire garrison, in their intensely nervous condition 
after an almost interminable suspense during our absence, 
was deeply impressed with the awful sublimity of the 
scene, when suddenly a carbine shot, another and another 
in quick succession, rang out, and a spluttering, rattling 
and cracking by the pickets caused all to start to their 
feet. They seemed to be instantly electrified, and the 
ladies and children, with blanched cheeks, rushed together 
and began to huddle for protection. The "long roll" 
on the drums of the infantry vied with the rattle and 
boom of the thunder. The bugles of the cavalry sounded 
their loudest "assembly." Every blinding flash showed 
the gallant troopers pouring out of their barracks in the 
dreadful storm, carbine in hand. Officers, with a last 
word of cheer to the companions of theii Uves in thi?^ far- 
off wild, beyond the pale of civilization, buckled on saber 
and pistol and hurried to their companies, now "falling 
in" to the music of the drummers. A few moments, and 
every man was under arms and in ranks. We awaited 
further developments from the pickets, who had now 
"ceased firing" and were maintaining a most provoking 
silence. In a moment or two, however, it was ascertained 
that one of the pickets, "jumpy" like everybody else, 
had fired at a hog, disturbed by the storm, and was, of 
course, followed by a fusillade from the others. His shot 
had started the entire line. All of the officers were 
immediately called to headquarters, where they were 



48 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

cautioned and given verbal instructions to be carried out 
in event of another such alarm or bona fide attack. 

One set of stone quarters was designated for all ladies 
and children to assemble at. The citizens of the town were 
notified, and thus ended the Mexican scare. The suspense 
was over. The attack never came. This raid resulted 
in the Mexican Government coming down from their 
"high perch," and instead of covering up and concealing 
these high-handed, brutal murders, atrocities, and whole- 
sale robberies along the river, it consented to negotiate 
an International Treaty by which either country could 
pursue bandits, horse and cattle thieves, and armed des- 
peradoes operating on either side of the line, across the 
border, and punish them. At this date (191 9) it is my 
belief that such treaty of 1873 has never been abrogated. 

Quiet and peace reigned for many a day. For years 
one could have almost heard a pin drop along that line, 
so wholesome had been the effect of our punishment of 
these marauders and scourgers on this border of the Rio 
Grande. 

Grateful Thanks of Texas 

So elated were the people of Texas over our success, 
especially along the border counties, that about May 25 
Governor Edmund J. Davis called the State legislature 
into extra session by a special proclamation, and the 
following joint resolution was passed by both houses of 
the same, a copy of which was transmitted to the head- 
quarters of the Fourth Cavalry, but to my knowledge, 
through some inadvertence, it was never published in 
any regimental order, nor was a copy ever furnished to the 
officers who so loyally risked their lives in this great and 
daring adventure. Nor was its existence known by them 
for a long time. Many years afterwards some of us, 
upon learning that such a resolution had been passed, 
sent to Austin, Texas, and, upon application to the 
Adjutant General or the Secretary of State of Texas, we 
were furnished with certified copies of this valuable 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 49 

testimonial, duly authenticated by the Commanding 
General of the Department of Texas. It is given here- 
with in full. To my knowledge, it has never been printed 
before for publication. 

It is the only instance, within my knowledge, in the 
miHtary history of the United States, when a Cavalry 
Regiment of our Army ever received the "Grateful 
Thanks" of a Sovereign State through its Legislature con- 
vened in special session by its Governor for that purpose : 

Joint Resolution of the Legislature of the State of 

Texas. 

Whereas: Reliable information has been received that 
General Ranald S. Mackenzie of the United States Army, with 
the troops under his command, did, on the 19th day of May, 
1873, cross the Rio Grande into the Republic of Mexico, and 
inflict summary punishment upon a band of Kickapoo Indians, 
who, harbored and fostered by the Mexican authorities, have 
for years past been waging a predatory warfare upon the 
frontier of Texas, murdering our citizens, conveying their 
children into captivity, and plundering their property, therefore 

Resolved, By the Senate ti the State of Texas, the House 
concurring, that the Grateful Thanks of the people of the State, 
and particularly the citizens of our frontier, are due to General 
Mackenzie and the troops under his command, for their prompt 
action and gallant conduct in inflicting well-merited punishment 
upon these scourges of our frontier. 

Resolved, That His Excellency, the Governor, be, and he is 
hereby, requested to forward a copy of these Resolutions to 
General Mackenzie and the ofl&cers and troops under his com- 
mand. 

Adopted May 25, 1873. 

{Signed) Leigh Chalmers, 

Secretary of the Senate. 
Approved: {Signed) E. B. Pickett, 

President of the Senate. 
Approved: {Signed) M. D. K. Taylor, 

Speaker House of Representatives. 
Approved May 30, 1873. 

{Signed) Edmund J. Davis, 

Governor. 



50 The; Mackenzie; Raid into Mexico 

Department of State, 
Austin, Texas. 

I, James P. Newcomb, Secretary of State for the State of 
Texas, hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the 
original Resolution as passed by the Legislature of the State of 
Texas. 

Witness my hand and official seal of office in the city of 
Austin, this 2d day of June, A. D. 1873. 

(Signed) James P. Newcomb, 
seal of TEXAS. Secretary of State. 

A true copy. 

(Signed) Colon Augur, A. D. C. 

Department of State, 

Austin, June 2, 1873. 
C. C. Augur, 

Major -General, Comd'g Dept. of Texas. 

General: 

I have the honor to transmit herewith certified copy of Reso- 
lution passed by the Honorable Legislature of the State of 
Texas, tendering thanks to General Mackenzie for services 
rendered the frontier citizen of Texas. 
Respectfully, 

(Signed) James P. Newcomb, 



Secretary of State. 



A true copy. 

(Signed) Colon Augur, A. D. C. 



General Mackenzie's report follows: 

Headquarters 4TH U. S. Cavalry, 

Fort Clark, Texas, May 28, i8jj. 

To the Assistant Adjutant General, 
Department of Texas. 

Sir: 

I have the honor to submit the following report * * * : 
At about eleven o'clock on the night of the i6th instant, I 
received reliable information of the location of the camps of a 
party of the Kickapoo and Lipan Indians, who have been 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 51 



depredating on this part of the Texas frontier. I at once 
ordered Companies A, B, C, K, I, and M, Fourth Cavalry, to 
concentrate early next morning at a point on the Las Moras 
River about twelve miles distant from the Post, where Captain 
Wilcox was encamped with his Company C — Companies A and 
B, Fourth Cavalry, being encamped on Piedras Pintos Creek, 
about seven miles northwest of the Post, Companies E and M 
on Elm Creek, twelve miles east of the Post, and I being at the 
Post, all of the companies being about fifteen miles apart. 

On the morning of the 17th, I left the Post with Company I 
and 18 Seminole scouts, and proceeded to the camp of Captain 
Wilcox. After getting the command together, including 
Lieutenant John L. BuUis, 24th Infantry, and 16 Seminole 
scouts from Fort Duncan, which was accomplished about i p. m. 
on the 17th instant, the command marched at once for the 
Indian camp, and reached it at 6 a. m. on the following morning, 
having marched about 70 miles from Captain Wilcox's camp. 
The command had a sharp skirmish * * * and killed 19 
Indians, whose bodies were buried; captured 40 women and 
children, and Costilietos, the principal chief of the Lipans, and 
65 ponies * * *. The following officers were present: 
(list of all officers with the command) * * * Second 
Lieutenant R. G. Carter. * * * All of these officers acted 
handsomely and deserve consideration, and every soldier 
showed, after the terribly hard ride, a creditable eagerness to 
attack. * * * (Mentions names of officers who, being with 
him in the advance, attracted his especial notice.) "I wish it 
understood, in making special mention of these officers, that 
others very probably would have acted quite as handsomely, 
but, from leading the advance they attracted notice more 
especially." * * * "In an Indian fight, officers and men 
soon get so scattered in the pursuit that it is perfectly impossible 
to give each his proper credit. * * * j ^g^g obliged, on 
account of the rapidity with which the command marched on 
the night of the 17th, to abandon almost all my packs and 
some pack mules, the command being most of the time at a 
trot or a gallop, and consequently for two days the men were 
entirely without rations except a little hard bread in their 
pockets, yet there was little complaining. 

Should it be deemed proper to mention in orders any of the 
officers, / wish that all of them may be mentioned, or, other'-nse 
it is perfectly impossible that injustice may not be done, but those 
I have specially mentioned are those who, from their positions, 
more particularly attracted my attention. * * * My loss 



52 The; Mackenzie; Raid into Mexico 

was three men wounded (one mortally, who died on the return 
trip). * * * No horses gave out on the march, and the 
only horses lost were two shot in action, and one or two which 
died from overheat in the chase. * * * Three (3) villages, 
averaging from fifty to sixty lodges (180) were destroyed. They 

appeared to be well supplied with stores, including ammunition. 

* * * 

I have the honor to be. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

{Signed) Ranald S. MackeInzie, 
Colonel 4th Cavalry, Comd'g Regiment. 

This was followed by a general order from Major- 
General C. C. Augur, commanding the Department of 
Texas : 

Headquarters Department of Texas, 

San Antonio, Texas, June 2, i8yj. 
General Orders, No. 6. 

It is with great pleasure the Department Commander 
announces to his command the gallant and successful attack by 
Colonel R. S. Mackenzie, 4th Cavalry, with a portion of his 
regiment, upon the combined camps of hostile Kickapoo and 
Lipan Indians. Having ascertained the location of these tribes, 
parties of which had just made a devastating raid on the Rio 
Grande frontier of Texas, Colonel Mackenzie assembled six 
companies of his regiment on the evening of May 17th, marched 
all that night, encountering and overcoming the diflSculties and 
obstacles incidental to such marches in a strange country, and 
struck the Indians at 7 o'clock on the morning of the i8th, 
killing nineteen warriors, capturing Costrlietos, principal chief 
of the Lipans, forty women and children, and about sixty-five 
ponies, and destroying three villages with their accumulated 
property. His own loss was three men wounded — one mortally. 

The companies and officers engaged were as follows: Com- 
panies A, B, C, E, I, and M, 4th Cavalry; Captains N. B. 
McLaughlen, Clarence Mauck, John A. Wtlcox, E. B. Beau- 
mont, William O'Connell; First Lieutenants W. C. Hemphill, 
G. A. Thurston, C. L. Hudson, D. Lynch, Jr.; Second Lieuten- 
ants O. W. Budd, R. G. Carter, U. G. White, C. A. P. Hatfield, 
J. W. Martin, all of the 4th Cavalry, and Second Lieutenant 
John L. Bullis, 24th Infantry, commanding Seminole scouts. 
Lieutenant and Adjutant L. O. Parker, 4th Cavalry, and Acting 
Assistant Surgeon Donald Jackson. 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 53 



Colonel Mackenzie reports that all of these officers acted 
handsomely and deserve consideration, and that every soldier 
showed, after the terribly hard ride, a creditable eagerness to 
attack. The following extracts from Colonel Mackenzie's 
report are published here as a carefully considered and deserved 
tribute to his command : 

"It was, however, the good fortune of Captain N. B. McLaugh- 
len and his company (I, 4th Cavalry) to be in the advance of 
the column, and I feel called on to mention the very gallant 
manner in which himself and Lieutenant Hudson led the com- 
pany, the men of which acted gallantly, to the extent of rashness. 
I also wish to mention Lieutenant Bullis, with the Seminole 
scouts, who behaved, under the command of that gallant officer, 
very well. I wish it understood, in making special mention of 
these officers, that others very probably would have acted quite 
as handsomely, but from leading the advance they attracted 
notice more especially. In an Indian fight officers and men 
soon get so scattered in the pursuit that it is perfectly impossible 
to give to each his proper credit. I mention Lieutenant Hudson 
specially this time, and should have done so before for gallantry 
on the north fork of Red River. I also wish to mention my 
Adjutant, Lieutenant Parker, and Doctor Jackson for gallantry 
and good conduct. 

My loss was three men wounded. Private Peter Carrigan, 
Company D, 4th Cavalry, who happened to be here on detached 
service, and was attached to Company I, was mortally wounded; 
Private William Pair, of I Company, 4th Cavalry, a splendid 
old soldier who has served in the regiment since its organization, 
loses his right arm near the shoulder ; Private Leonard Kjiippen- 
berger, Company E, 4th Cavalry, slightly wounded in the face, 
is now on duty. * * *" 

Colonel Mackenzie also specially commends the conduct of 
Captain Mauck, who was quite ill at the time, but insisted upon 
going with his company when informed that it was likely to get 
into a fight. 

He also expresses himself under great obligations to Lieuten- 
ant Colonel Shafter, 24th Infantry, commanding Fort Duncan, 
for his cordial cooperation and his active support throughout. 

The Commanding General tenders to Colonel Mackenzie and 
his gallant command his thanks and congratulations for the 
very handsome manner in which they accomplished this perilous 
and difficult work. The cheerful and ready conduct of the men 
under the unavoidable privations, having nothing to eat for 
nearly two days but a little hard bread, is quite as creditable to 



54 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

them as their gallantry in the fight. It is believed that a few 
repetitions of this effective and summary punishment would 
give quiet to that portion of the Rio Grande frontier so long 
outraged by these Indians. 

By command of Brigadier General C. C. Augur: 

Chauncey McKeever, 
Assistant Adjutant General. 

Official: 

Colon Augur, 

Aide-de-Camp. 

A Record Ride 

It is the writer's belief, and it is on record, that this 
was one of the greatest long-distance rides ever made by a 
Cavalry Command of the United States Army, under the 
same or si'mi/ar conditions, i. e., distance and hours marched, 
viz, 1 60 miles in 32 marching hours, part of the time 
with a loaded pack train, and, on the return march, with 
captured women and children (the latter having to be 
lashed on the captured ponies to prevent their falling off), 
two desperately wounded men on travois (one of whom 
died at daybreak as we reached the ford), and a large 
bunch or caviard of captured stock driven loose on the 
trail. 

General Charles King in one of his cocksure military 
effusions, recording some of these long-distance individual 
and column rides, gives the distance marched by our com- 
mand as 145 miles. He does not state, however, where 
he got the figures. They were not given in my magazine 
article of 1886 in the Outing Magazine. As he was an 
officer of the Fifth United States Cavalry, and cited the 
long-distance march of General Merritt with that regi- 
ment to the relief of Major Thornburg in 1879, during the 
Ute uprising, and apparently to contrast it with the ride 
of the Fourth Cavalry, and as he was not with us nor 
kept any itinerary or record of our march, and the writer 
did keep one, it is left to the reader of this statement to 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 55 

judge of the accuracy of the writer's record when com- 
pared with one made many years after by an officer who 
did not have the figures which have always been in my 
possession. 

The following is a transcript from my diary and itiner- 
ary of that march, as are all the foregoing statements of 
facts: 

From our grazing camp on the Piedras Pintos to Cap- 
tain Wilcox's camp on the Las Moras — 
From 3.30 a. m. to 8.30 a. m., May 17, 1873, 

5 hours 20 miles 

From Captain Wilcox's camp to near the Rio 

Grande River, 2 p. m. to 6 p. m. (slow on 

account of heat) , 4 hours 12 miles 

From the river to Rey Molina, 8.30 p. m., 

May 17, to 4.30 a. m., May 18, 8 hours 58 miles 

From Rey MoHna, Mexico, to Green Van's 

ranch on the river i p. m., May 18, to 4 

a. m., May 19, 15 hours 69 miles 

Total miles marched 159 miles 

Total hours marched 32 hrs. 

As Green Van's ranch or ford was about 25 miles above 
the ford at or near the mouth of the Las Moras, which we 
used when going into Mexico, our return march was some 
ten or twelve miles farther in reaching it. 

Our halt in Mexico after the action was from 7 to 8 
hours, and from the time we had left our grazing camp 
on the Piedras Pintos, about 17 hours, or a total of 49 
hours, during which we did not unsaddle. The distance 
gone over during the action, or about 3 miles, in rounding 
up the stolen stock, capturing ponies in scattered herds, 
etc., is not counted in the total miles actually covered, 
except in adding to the aggregate, to make it up to an 
even 160 miles in 32 marching hours, or one (i) mile 
added to a grand total of 159 miles. This is the minimum, 



56 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

and a very conservative estimate. This differs only 
slightly from Mackenzie's report, which gives the distance — 

From Wilcox's camp to Rey Molina 70 miles 

From Piedras Pintos to Fort Clark 8 miles 

From Fort Clark to Wilcox's camp 12 miles 

Return from Rey Molina 70 miles 

Total miles marched 160 miles 

My diary gives distance from Piedras Pintos — 

Camp to Fort Clark as 7 miles 

And from Clark to Wilcox's camp as 12 miles 

As we did not go through Fort Clark (the nearest 
route to Wilcox's camp), but went a mile or two out of our 
way, to avoid being seen by Mexican spies about Brackett- 
ville, the actual distance is estimated at full 20 miles, 
which is a very moderate figure. 

From the Rio Grande to Remolino, 8 hours on the first 
night's march, we averaged at all gaits, mostly at a trot 
and slow gallop, 7}^ miles per hour, increasing our gait 
considerably at i a. m., after the packs had been "cut 
loose." This includes a halt made to close up the pack 
train, cut the packs from the mules, and distribute hard 
bread to the entire command, officers and men. 

On the return trip from i p. m., May 18, to 4 a. m., 
May 19, when we reached Green Van's ford, or 15 hours, 
with several halts, owing to the condition of the women 
and children (prisoners), our average was about 4 3-5 
miles per hour. Besides, we were driving along loose 
many captured animals, captured ponies and horses stolen 
from ranches along the river. 

The expedition was, with one exception, an entire 
success. The villages had been destroyed, and the 
Indians and Mexicans had been terribly punished. This, 
with our casualties at a minimum. The only error com- 
mitted — and it was so vital that it nearly jeopardized or 
seemed to imperil the safety, if not the lives, of the entire 



The Mackenzie; Raid into Mexico 57 

command — was in overloading the pack mules so that 
their gait and speed could not be adjusted to the fastest 
moving unit of the column, the fox-gaited beasts of the 
guides. In the judgment of the writer (but this is hind 
sight), half loads, which would have meant half rations 
for the entire command, both going and returning, would 
have resulted in completely regulating the speed of the 
slower with that of the faster unit. As it was, we were 
behind our schedule, always liable to miss fire in time of 
war however it may work out in the cut-and-dried pro- 
grammes of sham war maneuvers and sham battles. We 
missed making a complete bag of the game, and, as a 
result, fed on cracker dust and water for nearly thirty- 
six hours. The error was in favor of kindness to the men 
in indulging full stomachs. 

Conclusions and Reflections 

There was no "General Staff" nor "War Colleges;" 
no "Fort Leavenworth Stafif and Line Schools;" no 
"School of Fire;" no "Artillery," "Infantry" and "Cav- 
alry Schools;" no "National or International Target 
Competitions." There were no G-i, 2, 3, 4, etc.; no 
"S. O. S.;" no "Listening Posts" nor "Observation 
Posts;" no "Dugouts" nor "Trenches;" no "Telegraph 
Lines ' ' nor ' ' Signal Stations ;" no " Automobiles, ' ' ' ' Motor 
Trucks" nor "Troop Trains;" no "Airplanes" nor 
"Observation Baloons;" no "Hand Grenades;" no "Ma- 
chine Guns," "Indirect Fire" or "Barrages;" no "Flame 
Throwers;" no "Phosgene," "Mustard," "Tear" or 
"Sneezing" gas; no "Periscopes;" no "Stenographers" 
nor "Typewriters;" no "Base" or "Evacuation Hospi- 
tals ;" no " First Aid ;" no " Ambulances " nor " Stretchers ;" 
no "Recreation League" or "War Camp Community Ser- 
vice," no "Moving Pictures;" no "Camp Activities," 
"Camp Welfare "nor "Social Matrons;" no "Y.W.C. A.," 
or "Hostess Houses" "Y. M. C. A.," "K. of C." nor 
"Red Cross;" no "War Risk Insurance" (every man 



58 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

insuring his own life in his own way), etc., etc., etc. But, 
best of all, we had no so-called "intensive training". 

Much of this incessant, long-drawn-out daily drill is 
done by young martinet drill masters fresh from West 
Point, who have had Uttle or no campaign or other 
service, no battle experience, and who have never seen a 
real battlefield, but who, like a "yearling" corporal, 
considers it necessary to make a reputation for efficiency, 
etc., no matter who the victims might be. 

Most of this tiresome daily repetition in merely 
tactical drill serves no good purpose except in parades, 
inspections, reviews and other military ceremonies which, 
during battle conditions, are absolutely cut out. The 
time taken for such useless drill could well be employed 
in work of much more value, needless here to fully dis- 
cuss. Perfection of drill in tactical combinations for 
maneuver purposes on the drill ground or parade is well 
enough for West Point, which is one of the show miUtary 
academies of the world, and, as such, is open to inspection 
by military critics from every country. But when in 
the game of training our American boys quickly for battle 
service, no time should be wasted. It must be borne in 
mind that what is laboriously taught to new men for show, 
in the shape of mathematical and tactical units on that 
parade, when the acid test of battle is appHed, such 
tactical combinations, which, by immediate and con- 
stantly recurring casualties goes to pieces after the first 
deployment under rifle and machine-gun fire, is a sheer 
waste of time and energy — well known to all battle- service 
soldiers, but only discovered by the camp drill master 
or to the average non-combatant officer after he, too, shall 
have received his first baptism of fire and acquired his 
first battle sense. 

Lines are sometimes so inextricably and hopelessly 
mixed and tangled up that no drill, which has been so 
incessantly hammered into the heads of such men during 
a period of so-called intensive training, would avail them; 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 59 

while their discipHne, morale, and the common-sense 
tactics of some level-headed officers or non-commissioned 
officers, however, not only would, but generally does 
bring order out of chaos. There have been hundreds of 
such incidents in the late world war. The writer can cite 
many in the greatest battles of the Civil War in which he 
was engaged, including Gettysburg. 

No tactical drills on the battlefields during the great 
offensive drive of the German Guard and shock troops 
on March 21, 191 8, which had been taught to them at 
their great war-maneuver games, ever disentangled their 
almost inextricably mixed masses after a few days, fighting 
and rapid advance, but their iron discipline and morale 
did. When those two saving or controlling factors went 
into the discard after butting up against a few of our 
Yankee regular, N. G. and N. A. divisions from Soissons 
to the Argonne forest, the German military star, which 
had been in the ascendency, set in the darkness of gloom 
and despair, and the perfect discipline and morale went 
with it. 

The men in the training camps know that most of the 
incessant daily grind, this long-drawn-out effort to attain 
perfection in drill, is done to fulfill certain conditions, to 
satisfy or cover the prescribed programme from 5.30 
a. m. to ID p. m., as given in the General Staff Instruc- 
tions from the War College, for "Intensive Training," 
and for no other practical or legitimate purpose. 

The "School of the Soldier" and the "Manual of 
Arms" "by the Count" or without the Count, can be 
taught by any good drill sergeant in a few hours. It need 
not measure up to the full perfection of the cadet. The 
few movements in the elementary drill of the "School of 
the Company," etc., necessary to get a man into battle 
(but not always sufficient to get him out), can be taught by 
any competent young officer in a very short period. After 
his careful instructions on the target range (not so much 
in long distances, but at short ranges and close quarters) 



60 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

that is all the tactics he will need to know, and, even then, 
that same young officer would be amazed to go into battle 
with those men and see how quickly those simplest 
tactical combinations have to be thrown into the discard 
should they, perchance, become engaged in a close rough- 
and-tumble melee, or mix-up of any kind, where the units 
of fours and squad units are disintegrating every minute, 
and the squad leaders, guides and file closers are down — 
dead or d5dng. That is the sure-enough picture as seen 
by one who knows! 

Therefore to assume in a cock-sure fashion that a year 
or even six months (from two to three months is more 
than ample) is absolutely necessary to discipline and train 
a man to make him an effective battle- service soldier (he 
can not become a battle-service soldier anyway until he 
had been under fire and knows what it means, even should 
he be trained for years) — is one of those absurdities that 
has crept into the minds of the General Staff from the 
German War Schools where they pound years of inten- 
sive (?) training (five or ten, more or less) into the thick 
skulls of their "goose-step" soldiers, only to have it 
pounded out of them in one short day by comparatively 
green but intelligent Yankee soldiers with but a short 
period of training, but brains enough to more than make 
up for any deficiency. 

What a man needs, after he has been properly disci- 
plined and has been taught the use of his rifle — not in a 
perfect manual of arms, but on the target range, and 
given by a short cut and in the shortest possible period, 
a rapid and elastic tactical drill — is to be put into battle 
at once to get the battle instinct and to develop the battle 
sense and balance, i. e., to get over any panicky feeling, 
collect himself, and get his courage well in hand, without 
which all the tactical drill that has been jammed into him, 
either at West Point or anywhere else on God's footstool, 
would not save him — all this under experienced officers, 
battle-experienced, if possible. Their individual initia- 



The; Mackenzie; Raid into Mexico 61 

tive, as developed in camp, moral courage, endurance, 
discipline, and what Kipling vulgarly terms as "guts," 
must do the rest. 

But this everlasting daily "intensive" drilling and 
training, this constant hammering of tactics into a man's 
head fresh from the farm or factory or office, on the hottest 
of hot days, when he will probably never have to use the 
same in battle, is but another method for testing out good 
men in an effort to disgust them, to break down their 
spirits, enthusiasm and morale, to tire them out and make 
them go stale, and to exhaust their physical strength in 
determining whether they will or will not respond to an 
emergency or exigency which has not yet occurred. 

We found that good discipline alone, with moderate 
drill (and none at all on hot days, the drills always taking 
place in the early morning) under officers of experience, 
good horse sense and judgment, answered the purpose 
better than so much drive, and we found that we could 
always rely upon their reserve strength when the crisis 
came for which it was most needed. When tired out from 
long, unnecessary drills they did not so readily respond, 
because they could not. There were no "Union men" 
in the Fourth Cavalry; no "mess-hall" or "silence" 
strikes for more beans and thicker soup, and no "lock- 
outs.' ' There were no ' ' insubordinations " or " mutinies ' ' 
promoted by dangerous propaganda. The so-called 
intensive training and every-day incessant drill, especially 
in sultry weather, was never attempted, because it was 
never found necessary. The discipline in the Fourth 
Cavalry was perfect, because it was constant and unremit- 
ting and based upon absolute fairness and justice. The 
men were marvelously obedient to such discipline and 
training. Punishments were generally administered in the 
Company under the strictest supervision and control of the 
most experienced officers and non-commissioned officers 
of the Civil and Indian Wars. Under these conditions, 
the regiment was always ready for a "fight or a frolic." 



62 The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 

Owing to long, continuous Indian campaigns, when the 
hardships were of the most unusual character, and the 
command saw no human habitations for months, nothing 
but Indians, buffalo, wolves, jack-rabbits, prairie dogs, 
sage brush, cactus and alkali, and the long-drawn-out 
monotony of desert sand, "shin oak," and "bad lands," 
there were some desertions, but, compared to more recent 
dates, they were at a minimum and therefore practically 
negligible. We had few courts-martial. General Sher- 
man once wrote: "Too many courts-martial in any com- 
mand are evidence of poor discipline and inefficient 
officers. The Captain can usually inflict all the punish- 
ment necessary, and the Colonel should always." There 
were no "Kriegspiel" or 'war-maneuver" games; no "Sham 
Battles " between " Blue and Brown " armies with amateur 
"Umpires" to decide "Points" and count ''theoretical 
corpses when nobody is being killed, wounded or scratched, 
no bullets flying or tactical units being disturbed. No 
"Brown" (enemy) forces were conveniently placed in 
positions selected for offense or defense, because no enemy 
ever permits himself to be thus posted to satisfy the 
plans of an opponent, or to place himself where he does 
not want to be. If, however, in order to play soldier, 
this is done, it is to sacrifice every common-sense principle 
of real war and to accept a cut-and-dried plan to please 
the sham-battle fighter. All sham-battle exercises are, 
therefore, not only not practical in their application, and, 
in the judgment of the writer, worse than useless, but are 
positively harmful, false, and misleading to both officers 
and men. Any man who has ever been in a real wild- 
cat battle will, it is beheved, support this statement, and 
all such training of our men should be hereafter cut out. 
We had no such starthng array of war auxiliaries to 
contend with as have here been enumerated, nor were 
they necessary to inspire the Fourth Cavalry with a 
fighting spirit. 



The Mackenzie Raid into Mexico 63 

All of these accessories or modern adjuncts to an Army 
which have been deemed necessary to a successful prose- 
cution of this world war are cited, not by way of criticism 
or invidious comparison, but to demonstrate to the present 
military student and to many of our theoretical soldiers 
how it was possible for a small, but most efficient, cavalry 
command of perfectly disciplined and properly trained 
men under good leadership, to achieve almost perfect suc- 
cess without any of this machinery that has sprung up in 
connection with the operations of our present Army. 
We had simply a straight-out Cavalry Command, the best 
soldiers that ever straddled a horse, dependent upon 
nothing nor nobody — for morality, sobriety, morale, 
efficiency, good conduct, bravery, and all that goes to 
make up a first-class, true-blue soldier of the old days, 
except proper, reasonable training and the necessary 
rigid discipline that makes for good service, a personal 
supervision by well-trained, experienced company officers 
and " crack-a-jack" non-commissioned officers. It was 
a small, but absolutely compact and mobile column of 
physically perfect, discipUned men, with both horses and 
men trained as hard as nails. It was practically a "hand- 
picked" command, with all the weak personnel carefully 
weeded out. No animals were abandoned or lost. Mac- 
kenzie's Kentucky thoroughbred committed suicide. 

These red-blooded troopers did not have to be "molly- 
coddled," daily indulged with "loUypops" from the 
canteens, etc., or entertained and "fed up" with "church" 
and "parlor socials" and "cabaret shows" and "dances," 
etc., etc., to keep him from becoming homesick, losing 
his morale and deserting, although he was possessed of 
the same sentiments, the same feelings, the same longings, 
and all the natural traits and characteristics that make 
up our present volunteer regulars, our National Army and 
selected draft soldiers of today, who have so gallantly 
upheld the honor of their country and its flag in this long, 
wearisome, sanguinary world war. 



64 The Mackenzie; Raid into Mexico 

With this Command of our Httle regular Army, on this 
terrible raid, it was all ''No-Man's Land," a veritable 
' ' Terreno Desconocido. ' ' 

There was nothing but slow, tri-weekly mails and 
courier service. Good, brave men hardened down to their 
best form; drilled, hut not over drilled, disciplined to per- 
fect obedience, trained, with morale, spirit and enthusiasm 
unimpaired by becoming stale through long, unnecessary, 
so-called ''intensive training;" horses — ^no scrubs — trained 
hard, plenty of bottom and endurance; good weapons, 
always ready for instant action, at short ranges and close 
"in-and-in" fighting and personal combat. 

Added to these conditions, there was only needed a 
bold, enterprising, resourceful, but above all, a command- 
ing officer with nerve, daring, iron will and quick decision — 
the man who commanded a veteran cavalry division 
under Sheridan at Appomattox, and whom General Grant 
declared was "the most promising young officer in the 
Army" — a reliable, active Adjutant, an experienced and 
tireless Quartermaster, with the invaluable services of 
reliable, trustworthy, loyal guides — to accompUsh such 
an apparently impossible and hopeless task as this great 
Mackenzie raid into Mexico. 



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